Retatrutide Reconstitution Calculation
You need to draw 0.1 mL (or 10 units on a standard insulin syringe) to obtain a 1 mg dose of retatrutide.
Calculation Breakdown
When you reconstitute 10 mg of retatrutide powder with 1 mL of bacteriostatic water, you create a solution with a concentration of 10 mg/mL.
To determine the volume needed for a 1 mg dose:
- Desired dose: 1 mg
- Concentration: 10 mg/mL
- Volume = Dose ÷ Concentration
- Volume = 1 mg ÷ 10 mg/mL = 0.1 mL
Syringe Measurement Conversion
- 0.1 mL equals 10 units on a standard U-100 insulin syringe (where 100 units = 1 mL) 1
- This is the same volume relationship used in medication dosing calculations, where converting mg/kg dosage to mL/kg follows the principle that concentration determines volume 1
Important Safety Considerations
Verify your concentration before every injection. The concentration changes dramatically based on the volume of diluent you add:
- 1 mL bacteriostatic water = 10 mg/mL concentration (as in your case)
- 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL concentration
- Different volumes require different syringe measurements for the same dose 1
Use proper injection technique. Retatrutide is administered subcutaneously, similar to other peptide medications 2, 3. The medication should be injected slowly to minimize local reactions.
Monitor for adverse effects. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting), which are dose-related and typically mild to moderate 2, 3. Retatrutide can also cause dose-dependent increases in heart rate that peak around 24 weeks 2.
Clinical Context
Retatrutide is a triple-hormone receptor agonist (GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors) being developed for obesity and type 2 diabetes 4, 2. In clinical trials, doses ranging from 1 mg to 12 mg weekly have been studied, with higher doses producing greater weight loss but also more gastrointestinal side effects 2, 3.