TB-500 dosing diverges from most peptides because the typical protocol uses a loading phase (4–10 mg twice weekly for 4–6 weeks) followed by maintenance (2–5 mg once weekly). The dose sizes are 10–20x larger than BPC-157 for the same research category (tissue repair), which means the vial math, syringe choices, and cycle vial counts all differ meaningfully. This page covers both phases with a free calculator pre-filled for a typical loading dose.
Key Takeaways
- —TB-500 typically ships in 5 mg or 10 mg vials. 2 mL BAC water is the standard reconstitution volume.
- —At 10 mg + 2 mL, the concentration is 5 mg/mL (5,000 mcg/mL). A 2 mg maintenance dose = 0.4 mL = 40 units on U-100.
- —Loading doses (4–10 mg) exceed the 1 mL capacity of a standard U-100 insulin syringe. Use a 1 mL or 3 mL tuberculin syringe for doses above ~5 mg.
- —A 10 mg vial yields 5 maintenance doses (2 mg each) or ~2.5 loading doses (4 mg each). Plan vial counts accordingly.
- —Compared to BPC-157, TB-500 dosing is less frequent (weekly vs daily) but each dose is larger. See BPC-157 vs TB-500 for mechanism context.
| Vial Size | BAC Water | Concentration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mg | 1 mL | 2 mg/mL (2,000 mcg/mL) | Small vials; rarely used |
| 5 mg | 2 mL | 2.5 mg/mL (2,500 mcg/mL) | Most common for single-dose sessions |
| 5 mg | 1 mL | 5 mg/mL (5,000 mcg/mL) | Smaller draw volume |
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 5 mg/mL (5,000 mcg/mL) | Most common; 2 mg = 40 units |
| 10 mg | 5 mL | 2 mg/mL (2,000 mcg/mL) | Dilute; 2 mg = full 1 mL syringe |
10 mg + 2 mL is the practical default — it covers both the loading phase (up to 5 mg per dose) and the maintenance phase (2 mg per dose) without needing different reconstitution math.
Using 10 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water = 5,000 mcg/mL concentration:
| Phase | Dose | Draw Volume | U-100 Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | 2 mg | 0.4 mL | 40 units |
| Maintenance | 2.5 mg | 0.5 mL | 50 units |
| Loading (light) | 4 mg | 0.8 mL | 80 units |
| Loading (standard) | 5 mg | 1.0 mL | 100 units (full U-100) |
| Loading (heavy) | 6 mg | 1.2 mL | >100 units — use 3 mL syringe |
| Loading (max) | 10 mg | 2.0 mL | requires 3 mL syringe |
Loading doses above 5 mg exceed the capacity of a single U-100 insulin syringe. Standard practitioner practice: switch to a 1 mL tuberculin syringe for 4–6 mg loading doses, or split the injection into two sites for 8–10 mg.
A typical TB-500 cycle has two phases:
Phase 1 — Loading (4–6 weeks):
Phase 2 — Maintenance (4–8 weeks):
Combined full cycle at mid-range protocols: ~50–80 mg of TB-500, or 5–8 × 10 mg vials over 8–14 weeks.
Open the calculator pre-filled for the 2 mg maintenance dose on a 10 mg vial + 2 mL reconstitution.
Other common presets:
Both peptides sit in the tissue-repair research category, but their dosing profiles are opposites:
| Dimension | BPC-157 | TB-500 |
|---|---|---|
| Typical dose | 250–500 mcg | 2–5 mg |
| Dose scale | 10–20x smaller | 10–20x larger |
| Frequency | Daily or 2x/day | Weekly (after loading) |
| Half-life basis | Short plasma, long PD | Long tissue residence |
| Standard vial | 5 mg | 10 mg |
| U-100 units for typical dose | 10 | 40 |
Full mechanism-level comparison in BPC-157 vs TB-500.
For a 10 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL BAC water (5,000 mcg/mL): the 2 mg maintenance dose is 0.4 mL = 40 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. The 5 mg loading dose is 1.0 mL = a full U-100 syringe; switch to a 1 mL tuberculin syringe for cleaner measurement at loading doses.
Typical protocols run 8–14 weeks total: 4–6 weeks of loading (twice-weekly injections of 4–10 mg) followed by 4–8 weeks of maintenance (once-weekly 2–5 mg). Cycles of 16+ weeks are uncommon in practitioner protocols. See the TB-500 research guide for evidence context.
TB-500 binds G-actin stoichiometrically — each molecule sequesters one actin monomer. The loading phase saturates available binding sites in tissue; maintenance dosing then keeps the pool topped up. This is mechanistically different from BPC-157's pulsatile receptor activation, which is why BPC-157 doesn't need a loading phase.
Yes — a 10 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL BAC water yields 5 maintenance doses (2 mg each) over ~5 weeks. Store at 2–8 °C and use within 28 days of reconstitution. Never freeze.
U-100 insulin syringes max out at 1 mL / 100 units. At the standard 5,000 mcg/mL concentration, that's 5 mg. Doses above 5 mg require a larger syringe (1 mL tuberculin, or 3 mL for 10 mg doses). The calculator flags when the calculated draw exceeds 100 units.
This article is for research and informational purposes only. TB-500 is not FDA-approved for human clinical use. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before considering any peptide protocol.
Research Disclaimer. All content on Next Pep is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before considering any peptide protocol.
Peptide reconstitution errors are the most common dosing mistake. Free calculator covering insulin syringe units, BAC water volumes, and vial concentration math.
Most peptide comparison content is vendor marketing. A mechanism-first framework for comparing any two peptides on data that actually predicts outcomes — plus a free tool.