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The latest breed of intelligence boosting smart drugs claim to be more powerful than ever – but before you buy Armodafinil online, make sure you’ve got enough information to protect your wallet as well as your mind.
Also known as the brand name Nuvigil, Armodafinil is officially prescribed for use as therapy for severe sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea.
However, its off-label use as a cognitive enhancing nootropic is why so many people want to try it.
Are the international pharmacy websites which have cropped up recently a safe and legal way to acquire this pill?
We’ll take a look at the chemistry and legality of this mind enhancing drug, the safety of buying Armodafinil online, plus offer some viable alternatives that don’t require a prescription.
Energy
Cognition
Motivation- Wakefulness-boosting stimulant
- Enhances motivation and focus
- Shown to boost mental performance
How Armodafinil Differs From 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
Many people have heard of the drug Provigil, and its generic name Modafinil.
Modafinil was first discovered by French chemists in the 1970s during testing on a related compound, Adrafinil. It was found that Adrafinil was metabolized in the liver into the inactive modafinilic acid, and the active Modafinil. This active component Modafinil is what causes all of Adrafinil’s effects in the body.
Adrafinil and Modafinil are both eugeroics, or wakefulness promoting compounds. They have stimulant-like effects, but are not related to traditional amphetamine or methylphenidate based stimulants, and have different modes of action in the body.
Both Adrafinil and later Modafinil when it was able to be produced directly were tested as therapies for the sleep disorder narcolepsy. Later Modafinil was also approved as a treatment for the sleep disorders shift-work sleep disorder and as an adjunct therapy for obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
While initially successful for these intended uses, the impending loss of a ten year legal patent inspired the same chemists to innovate a new form of the Modafinil drug, called an enantiopore version.
Enantiopures separate bonded pairs of identical mirror-image stereoisomers – essential molecules which are bonded together with the same atoms in the same, but reversed pattern.
The chemists built a new compound by only using one half of these molecular pairs, a common practice which is known to create more pure iterations of chemicals. You might think of this process as distilling a chemical down to its essence.
Modafinil is comprised of R-Modafinil and S-Modafinil. It is a racemic compound because it contains both enantiomers in equal proportions. The R-enantiomer has been determined to be the more pharmacologically active, stable, and long-lasting of the two isomers.
Armodafinil, then, is like a distilled, more purified version of the original Modafinil. As a result of the process, Armodafinil is a much stronger drug, creating nearly identical effects as Modafinil, but at much lower dosages. It is thought that enantiopure drugs also carry fewer side effects.
The name Armodafinil comes from the fact that it is made from only the R-enatiomer of Modafinil – hence Armodafinil, from R-Modafinil.
Armodafinil Effects
Armodafinil is in a class of drugs known as eugeroic. This term refers to any compound which produces arousal or wakefulness. Other drug in this category include Modafinil and Adrafinil.
Modafinil has been seen to affect many different neurotransmitters in the brain and central nervous system (CNS) including Dopamine, Serotonin, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, Orexin, and Histamine, and it is believed that Armodafinil has similar effects.
Unlike amphetamines, which create wakefulness through spiking of hormones in the central nervous system, it is thought that Armodafinil produces its effects by specifically targeting circuits in the hypothalamus which govern wakefulness and the perception of tiredness.
We know that drugs like Armodafinil and Modafinil can strongly stimulate Orexin, a neuropeptide that regulates wakefulness, appetite, and arousal. Orexin in turn strongly stimulates the release of Histamine in the hypothalamus, a neurotransmitter that regulates the same functions in the body.
Modafinil and Armodafinil have also been seen to act as Dopamine transport and reuptake inhibitors, allowing for more extracellular Dopamine to circulate around neurons in the brain.
When you buy Armodafinil online, your best resource for information about its effects are the reviews of other users and the small number of scientific accounts that exists. The consensus among these reviews is very clear – Armodafinil and the other eugeroics create powerful feelings of mental focus, and the ability to complete detailed, work-intensive tasks.
With Armodafinil in particular, the onset of effects can be subtle. The user simply becomes pleasantly engrossed in work, operating at full mental capacity and largely unaware of feeling drugged or high.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Common Uses of Armodafinil
Armodafinil is categorized by the FDA in the United States as a Schedule IV prescription only medication. It is similarly categorized as a prescription drug in many other countries around the world, including Canada, the UK, and Australia.
The approved on-label uses of Armodafinil are the same as Modafinil: narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorder (SWSD), and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and random sleeping episodes throughout the day that often occur without warning. In double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials, Armodafinil has been seen to significantly improve wakefulness and decrease excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy when compared to a baseline levels and against a placebo.
While the cause is different in both conditions, excessive sleepiness is a symptom of both SWSD and OSAHS. In research studies, it has been seen the Armodafinil decreases excessive sleepiness in people with either of these conditions, as measured the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Maintenance of Wakefulness test.
Any use of Armodafinil that is not one of the above approved uses for sleep disorders is considered an off-label use. The most common off-label uses of Armodafinil are to improve the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and as a cognitive enhancer.
Modafinil has been studied extensively as a treatment for ADHD. It has been seen to significantly improve symptoms of ADHD as measured by a variety of tests, including the DSM-IV ADHD Behavior Checklist, the Teacher and Parent ADHD Rating Scale-IV, and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale. Armodafinil has not been tested as a treatment for ADHD, but it is hypothesized that similar results would be seen as seen with Modafinil.
The most common off-label use of Armodafinil is using it as a smart drug or nootropic to improve cognitive function in a variety of ways. Users have reported that it can enhance focus, concentration, motivation, memory, and learning ability, similarly to Modafinil. As seen when used for sleep disorders, it produces wakefulness effects, and has been used to help stay alert and focused on tasks for long amounts of time.
While not having been tested directly as a cognitive enhancer much, cognitive effects have been measured in studies focusing on other effects. One study using Armodafinil for narcolepsy found that the drug improved performance on Cognitive Drug Research tests of memory, attention, and fatigue. Similarly, performance on standardized attention and memory tests from the Cognitive Drug Research battery was improved in patients with SWSD who were given Armodafinil, compared to placebo patients.
Do You Need A Prescription for Armodafinil?
Armodafinil is a prescription medication, classified as Schedule IV by the FDA. In order to get a legal prescription and buy Armodafinil online, you must already have a diagnosis of narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, or shift work sleep disorder (sometimes just called shift work disorder).
Most of the nootropic uses for the drug, such as enhanced thinking/learning abilities and heightened concentration, are considered “off-label” uses, and will not warrant a prescription. Most doctors will not prescribe any medication for off-label uses, and no insurance company will pay for such uses.
This means that most people who wish to purchase Armodafinil – in most cases even those suffering from clinical conditions such as ADHD – will not be able to legally buy the drug in the U.S. For this reason, many people turn to the “grey market” sales of buying Armodafinil online from international pharmacies.
Safety Risks Ordering Armodafinil Online
If you buy Armodafinil online from an offshore website, you probably won’t need a legal prescription.
While this may initially seem convenient, the lack of oversight at these websites ultimately creates many serious risks for consumers.
Without FDA protection, there is absolutely no way of knowing what is in Armodafinil pills that are sold online. Manufacturers in India or Mexico are free to label whichever pills they want as “Armodafinil.”
If you receive pills in the mail and they are either cut with fillers, or another chemical entirely, there is often little recourse. Without reliable customer service or quality guarantees, all money will be lost. If you choose to consume the pills, the risks are even worse – you might experience a toxic reaction if you feel anything at all.
Legality is another huge concern when buying any medications without a prescription. While technically it is legal to make purchases from overseas websites, once you ship the products back to the U.S., they are subject to search and seizure by U.S. Customs.
This unfortunately is the fate of many international pharmacy orders. Consumers are left to start the entire process over again, with the added worry of having their personal information transmitted to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Side Effects of Armodafinil
If you buy Armodafinil online from an international online pharmacy, then you risk exposing yourself to a variety of side effects due to possible contamination and impurities in the product.
Pure Armodafinil is generally well tolerated and typically does not have many lasting side effects in most users. There are some commonly reported side effects to be aware of, in case you end up being sensitive to this drug’s effects.
The most common minor side effects that have been recorded from a pool of double-blind placebo-controlled studies as well as from user reviews on various online forums include but is not limited to: headaches, nausea, anxiety, dizziness, insomnia, diarrhea, dry mouth, depression, and insomnia.
When first taking a new medication it is common to have a few side effects in the first few weeks as the body adjusts to the drug. As well, sometimes a commonly recommended dosage may be too much for certain people and can cause side effects. If minor side effects last longer than a few weeks, then speak with your doctor about lowering your dosage or switching medications.
One commonly reported side effect of Armodafinil is insomnia, or other sleep disturbances at night. This effect is most commonly due to the general stimulating effects of this drug itself, and it not a true side effect.
Because of its very long half-life (between 13-15 hours), Armodafinil’s effects may still be present late into the night if the drug is taken after noon or later in the day. It is commonly recommended that you take your dosage as early in the morning as possible to help avoid sleep disturbances.
There is the possibility of developing a very rare, but serious skin condition when taking Armodafinil, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). It is believed that primarily the people who may develop these conditions from taking Armodafinil have a genetic predisposition that makes them more susceptible when they take medications that are metabolized a certain way in the body.
If you develop a red/purple rash that is located near the mouth, eyes, nose, and/or genitals that spreads and eventually blisters, than stop taking Armodafinil and contact your doctor immediately, or go to an emergency room.
Legal Non-Prescription Alternatives to Armodafinil
There is one eugeroic supplement that is not scheduled by the FDA and is fully legal to buy without a prescription in the U.S. – Adrafinil. Adrafinil is the direct pre-cursor to Modafinil in the body.
Once processed by the liver, it is converted directly into Modafinil and released into the blood. This conversion takes about an hour – around the same amount of time it takes Armodafinil to kick in, due to its long half-life.
Users report that Adrafinil’s effects are nearly identical to those of Modafinil and Armodafinil.
For this reason, rather than buy Armodafinil online, many nootropic users opt for purchasing Adrafinil instead. Reputable U.S. nootropic vendors sell Adrafinil legally and without a hassle, guaranteeing purity and efficacy.
One thing to be aware of is that due to how Adrafinil is processed in the liver, theoretically there could be a buildup of toxic liver enzymes if it is used on a regular basis. Therefore, most nootropic users recommend that Adrafinil be used on an occasional, as needed basis for special occasions that require enhanced mental processing.
Another non-prescription Armodafinil alternative that some people have found success with is one of the Racetams. This family of compound are all based off of the parent compound, which is considered the first nootropic.
Developed in the 1960s, Piracetam has been observed in numerous trials to have positive effects on the cholinergic neurotransmission pathways in the brain. Increased levels of the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine have been linked to increased mental energy and memory formation, retention, and recall.
Since Piracetam was first developed, there have been multiple different derivatives developed by modifying and adding to the molecular structure of the compound. These derivatives are more potent than their parent compound and frequently have additional benefits.
For example, Aniracetam is 3-6 times as potent as Piracetam, and have been observed to more strongly activate AMPA receptors, as well as have some anxiolytic effects. Phenylpiracetam is considered one of the the strongest Racetams, at 50-60 times as potent as Piracetam.
Phenylpiracetam has been observered to have strong mental energy effects as well as memory enhancing effects. These effects make it one of the best Racetams to use as an Armodafinil substitute.
When dealing with the delicate chemistry of the human brain, there’s no reason to risk safety when viable alternatives are readily available. Consider buying Adrafinil or one of the Racetams from a reputable nootropics store online to have cognitive enhancement effects similar to Armodafinil, but without needing a prescription or to buy illegally from the internet gray market.
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- Darwish M, Kirby M, Hellriegel ET. Comparison of steady-state plasma concentrations of armodafinil and modafinil late in the day following morning administration: post hoc analysis of two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose studies in healthy male subjects. Clin Drug Investig. 2009
- Varanese S, Perfetti B, Gilbert-Wolf R, Thomas A, Onofrj M, Di Rocco A. Modafinil and armodafinil improve attention and global mental status in Lewy bodies disorders: preliminary evidence. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2013
- Roth T, White D, Schmidt-Nowara W, Wesnes KA, Niebler G, Arora S, Black J. Effects of armodafinil in the treatment of residual excessive sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome: a 12-week, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in nCPAP-adherent adults. Clin Ther. 2006
- Gasior M, Freeman J, Zammit G, Donnelly P, Gao J, Ferreira-Cornwell MC, Roth T. Maintenance of wakefulness with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, compared with placebo and armodafinil in healthy adult males undergoing acute sleep loss. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2014
- Loland CJ, Mereu M, Okunola OM, Cao J, Prisinzano TE, Mazier S, Kopajtic T, Shi L, Katz JL, Tanda G, Newman AH. R-modafinil (armodafinil): a unique dopamine uptake inhibitor and potential medication for psychostimulant abuse. Biol Psychiatry. 2012
Article last updated on: April 12th, 2018 by Nootriment