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Armodafinil is the newest and most improved version of the wakefulness promoting drug, Modafinil.
Its chemical composition makes it a “purer” or “refined” version of the drug and thus, it requires less of it in order to be effective.
Armodafinil is marketed as producing the same effects as Modafinil but with a more clarified formula, which may prove to reduce the frequency of some of the more common side effects users sometimes experience.
It is important to note that purer does not mean the effects you experience are necessarily stronger, but instead, that you need less of the drug to achieve the desired effects.
What is the suggested Armodafinil dosage and what is the maximum safe amount you can use?
Armodafinil is sold under the brand name Nuvigil and is available in tablets containing 50, 150 or 250 mg of Armodafinil. Modafinil, the predecessor to Armodafinil, was available only in 100 or 200 mg tablets.
Energy
Cognition
Motivation- Wakefulness-boosting stimulant
- Enhances motivation and focus
- Shown to boost mental performance
Armodafinil vs Modafinil
Related Topics
- What is Armodafinil?
- What is Nuvigil?
- Armodafinil vs. Modafinil
- User Review
- Typical Nuvigil Experiences
- How it Works
- Nuvigil for ADHD
- Effects on Depression & Anxiety
- Dosage Recommendations
- How to Take
- Reported Side Effects
- Withdrawal & Tolerance
- Prescription Information
- Buying Nuvigil
- Generic Nuvigil Brands
- Is Armodafinil Legal?
- Is Nuvigil Safe?
- Comparison to Adderall
Armodafinil is one of the enantiomers of the drug Modafinil. Enantiomers are mirror image non-superposable stereoisomers of the same molecular structure. Modafinil contains R- and S- enantiomers. Modafinil is a racemic compound because it contains equal proportions of both enantiomers.
Armodafinil is simply the R-Modafinil enantiomer of Modafinil alone, with the S enantiomer removed – hence its name, Armodafinil, from R-Modafinil. The R-Modafinil enantiomer is considered the longer-acting, more potent, and metabolically stable enantiomer of Modafinil.
As an active drug, Arodafinil’s effects are closely related to Modafinil. Armodafinil and Modafinil are eugeroics, meaning they are wakefulness promoting compounds. The exact mechanism of action of both Modafinil and Armodafinil is still unknown.
In research studies it has been observed that Modafinil affects various neurotransmitters in the brain and central nervous system, including Dopamine, Serotonin, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, Orexin, and Histamine.
It is believed the pharmacologically Armodafinil acts very similarly to Modafinil. It has been observed that like Modafinil, Armodafinil binds to Dopamine transporters and inhibit Dopamine reuptake, which may be the source of some of its effects.
What Does Armodafinil Do?
Armodafinil is classified as a Schedule IV prescription only medication in the United States, and is similarly classified in many other countries too, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Armodafinil is officially prescribed to treat people with specific sleep disorders.
This includes patients diagnosed with narcolepsy, patients experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome, and people with shift worker sleep disorder. In multiple double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials, Armodafinil has been seen to improve the excessive sleepiness seen in these sleep disorders, and improve wakefulness better than a placebo.
Armodafinil is used off-label for the same purposes as Modafinil. These include for reducing fatigue associated with diseases such as depression, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease; reducing jet lag; improving the symptoms of attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and using it as a smart drug for improving concentration, focus, motivation, and even productivity.
Armodafinil isn’t a classic nootropic because it doesn’t directly target and enhance cognitive function. Instead, it promotes a smooth and natural sense of heightened wakefulness and enhanced focus. Many smart drug users include Armodafinil, Modafinil or Adrafinil as part of their stack for tackling large projects or during exam season.
Dosing for Medical Diagnosis
Users of Armodafinil report that this drug may be more dependent on the individual user’s neurochemistry than Modafinil. This means that although there are standardized doses designed to treat certain medical conditions, your system may respond differently and require more or less than the doctor prescribes.
The standard recommendations for treating on-label conditions are a good indication of dosing variables for smart drug users who are trying to understand how dosing may work for their purposes.
The standard dose recommended for a patient with narcolepsy is 150-250mg daily. It is noted that elderly patients, and those with impaired liver function will require lower doses, but some patients taking Armodafinil to combat their narcolepsy find they become agitated, irritable and jittery on the low dose recommendation of 150 mg each day.
There is little risk for a serious overdose of Armodafinil, but you should not be using more than 250 mg in a 24 hour period to prevent side effects.
Another example: The prescribing instructions for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is also 150-250mg per day, yet the literature quickly adds that OSA patients showed no additional benefit by taking 250mg rather than the lower dose of 150mg.
Workers with shift-worker sleep disorder are prescribed 150mg to be taken 1 hour prior to their work-shift. But, anecdotal reports from users indicate that 50-100mg are often quite adequate to keep them awake and alert throughout their shift without disrupting their normal sleep cycle.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Dosing for Nootropic Benefits
People using Armodafinil for off-label purposes tend to do best by beginning with a low dose of 50mg to 100mg and then making adjustments up or down in order to find the lowest dose possible to achieve the effects desired.
Unlike Modafinil, Armodafinil does have the potential to lead to dependence, making smaller doses and non-continuous use a priority.
Some have said that Armodafinil is about 30% stronger than Modafinil so a dose of 150 mg of Armodafinil is equivalent to 200 mg of Modafinil. However, looking at the anecdotal reports and reviews posted online, there are many who believe that a 150 mg Armodafinil dosage is much stronger than a 200 mg Modafinil pill.
Users report that doses in excess of 150mg may be too potent for nootropic purposes. As mentioned earlier, it will likely take some experimentation to find the right dosage which works with your individual chemistry make-up. Some users who started off with 150mg with success, found later that they could decrease their dose to as low as 50mg and still achieve the same fatigue-busting, concentration enhancing effects.
If your system has been especially sensitive to central nervous system stimulants in the past, starting off with the lowest dose possible (50mg) should be considered. Increase to 100mg or more only if the effects are not experienced within a few hours.
Armodafinil Dosage Side Effects
While it is generally well tolerated when taken at appropriate dosages, there are some common Armodafinil side effects to be aware of. As it is a modified version of Modafinil, it makes sense that the side effects of Armodafinil are similar to common Modafinil side effects.
The most commonly reported side effects from placebo-controlled clinical trials and user reviews online include:
- headaches
- nausea
- dizziness
- insomnia
- diarrhea
- anxiety
- depression
- dry mouth
- indigestion
For some people, there is an adjustment period that occurs when they first start taking new medications, and this is a common occurrence with Armodafinil. Mild side effects can occur during the first few weeks of initially taking this drug, and then gradually subside as the body adjusts. If you experience mild side effects at first this can be entirely normal. Continue taking the medication and contact your doctor if you are still having substantial side effects after a few weeks.
Sometimes dosage plays a role in the development of side effects. For some people, a standard recommended dosage may be too much for their personal physiology and side effects occur. In these cases, temporarily lowering the dosage may help eliminate side effects.
If you are still receiving the benefits you need from the Armodafinil at the lower dosage, then your doctor may recommend that you continue taking that dosage. However, if you are not able to get the benefits you need, then gradually increase the dosage back to the full amount over a week or more. If the side effects return then you will need to speak with your doctor, as this may not be the right drug to treat your needs.
One of the most common side effects, insomnia, can be caused by the timing of dosages. Armodafinil has a long half-life of approximately 13 hours (between 12-15 for most people), and can still be at active amounts long after it was taken.
If you take your dosage too late in the day, then you may still experience stimulating, wakefulness effects when trying to sleep at night. It is recommended that you take your dosage in the morning, before noon, to avoid sleep disturbances.
While very rare, there is the possibility of developing some serious skin rashes from using Armodafinil, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).
There is strong evidence o suggest that developing these conditions is very rare for most people who take Armodafinil, but that certain people have a genetic predisposition that makes them more susceptible to these conditions when they take certain medications, including Armodafinil.
If you develop a fever, flu-like symptoms, and a rash that spreads and blisters, then immediately stop taking Armodafinil and contact your doctor or go to an emergency room.
Non-Prescription Armodafinil Alternatives
For people who want to take Armodafinil for off-label uses such as nootropic purposes, it is nearly impossible to get a prescription. Some people will turn to the internet gray market to buy Modafinil or Armodafinil from international online pharmacies that do not require a prescription, however this comes with inherent risks.
First there is the possibility that the product will never get to you at all because it could be seized as it comes through customs. If you do not have proof of a prescription, then the product will likely be confiscated, and your name may be placed on a watchlist.
If you do receive the product, then there is often no way to know that the product is pure and genuine. There are very often no Certificate of Analysis available for products from these sorts of vendors, and no guarantee of the manufacturing procedures where it was produced.
Overall, many people decide that the risks are too high trying to buy Armodafinil online without a prescription, and they choose to use a non-prescription alternative instead, such as Adrafinil or one of the Racetams.
Adrafinil is the prodrug of Modafinil. When it is ingested, the Adrafinil is transported to the liver where it is metabolized into its component parts, modafinilic acid and Modafinil. Modafinil has been determined to be the primary active compound in Adrafinil that causes all of its effects.
Adrafinil is an unregulated, unscheduled compound in the United States and many other countries. It is legal to buy and use, and is used frequently as a Modafinil and Armodafinil substitute for nootropic purposes. Adrafinil is less potent than Modafinil or Armodafinil, and requires more processing time to take effect, but is said to have similar effects when it does.
Due to how it is processed in the liver, there is the possibility of a buildup of toxic liver enzymes if Adrafinil is taken on a regular basis, therefore it is recommended to be taken on an occasional basis only, when needed for an extra mental boost.
Another nootropic option is to try one of the Racetam class of compounds. This group of compounds are all based off the parent compound Piracetam. First developed in the 1960s, Piracetam has been observed to have positive effects on Acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to increased general cognition and memory enhancement.
The derivatives of Pircetam – Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, Phenylpiracetam – are all more potent then their parent compound and typically have more specialized effects. For example, Oxiracetam and Aniracetam are considered to be between 3-6 times as powerful as Piracetam. Phenylpiracetam is considered 50-60 times as potent as Piracetam, and has strong mental energy and alertness promoting effects.
Like Adrafinil, the Racetams are considered unregulated, unscheduled compounds in the US. The sale of these sorts of compounds is restricted by the FDA, but it is legal to buy and use them. They are available from a variety of online nootropic stores.
Armodafinil Dosage Review
Armodafinil is sold under the brand name Nuvigil and comes in tablets of 50, 150 and 250 mg. Standard doses to treat narcolepsy and other sleep disorders usually fall around 150mg per day.
Medical and nootropic users alike have found that smaller doses often produce the desired effects, whereas higher doses have a tendency to cause irritability, agitation, and the jitters in many users.
Armodafinil can be habit forming, so it should be taken at the lowest dose possible. Common side effects can include dizziness, nausea, and headache. Headache may be remedied by taking it with a good Choline supplement like Citicoline or Alpha-GPC.
Determining an effective Armodafinil dosage may require a little experimentation to determine the right dose for any individual. Speak with your doctor to help determine the best dosage for your needs.
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Article last updated on: April 12th, 2018 by Nootriment