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Modafinil has been used around the world by millions of people as a wakefulness promoting agent, medication to manage ADHD, a weight loss aid and as a smart drug. The benefits of this drug are alluring and hard to resist by anyone who has a drive to better themselves.
When deciding to start taking Modafinil individuals should carry out their due diligence and understand how to safely utilize this medication before starting a course.
A key question with using Modafinil for the first time is what dose should be used: 100mg, 200mg or 400mg per day? Determining the right Modafinil dosage level for you is important to derive the benefits while preventing side effects.
Alertness
Mental Acuity
Focus- Stimulates wakefulness centers in the brain
- Promotes mental acuity & processing speed
- Enhances focus, motivation & energy
Modafinil’s Story
Related Topics
- What is Modafinil? (Provigil)
- How Does Provigil Work?
- Effects and Benefits
- User Reviews
- Typical Experiences
- Recommended Dosages
- How to Take
- Provigil Uses
- Use for ADHD
- Effects on Weight Loss
- Negative Side Effects
- Abuse Warnings & Dangers
- Comparison to Adrafinil
- Comparison to Armodafinil
- Comparison to Adderall
- Where to Buy
- Generic Modafinil Brands
- Is Modafinil Legal?
- How to Get Modafinil
- Review of Online Sources
Modafinil was originally developed in France by Lafon Laboratories during the late 1970’s. This compound was discovered based on the invention of a series of chemicals classified as benzhydryl sulfinyl.
Most importantly, this included the Modafinil precursor compound Adrafinil. It was this drug that was initially found to enhance wakefulness and alertness which then became offered in France as a treatment for narcolepsy in 1986.
Modafinil was only discovered later as the primary metabolite and active component of Adrafinil. With a few modifications, it was discovered that this newly identified drug has fewer side effects and greater potency than its precursor. This resulted in Modafinil replacing Adrafinil as the clinical drug of choice as of 1994.
Despite the increased use of Modafinil within clinical practice, Adrafinil is still used as an alternative to Modafinil in countries such as the U.S. and UK since it does not require a prescription. Modafinil has been sold in the US since 1998, usually under the name of Provigil, marketed by the company Cephalon, Inc (the parent company of Lafon since 2001).
FDA and Modafinil
There are only three approved uses for Modafinil within the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration has approved it to be used for treating narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and also as an adjunct treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (hypopnea).
A number of other conditions have been found to benefit from Modafinil dosages, but the FDA has thus far failed to recognize any of these additional benefits.
Study after study has demonstrated that Modafinil is useful in the treatment of adult and childhood ADHD and it carries a much lower risk of side effects, abuse, addiction or withdrawal compared to drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall. In spite of this, in 2006 the FDA decided that this use of Modafinil would remain off-label and would not be approved in the U.S.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Off-Label and Recreational Modafinil Use
Other conditions for which Modafinil may be effective in treating include certain psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. This can include the treatment of depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, and disease-related or medicine influenced fatigue.
Modafinil has been observed to produce a stabilizing effect on the mood, causing positive thoughts, elevated confidence and well-being. The drug can also reduce anxiety symptoms and help control stress.
Provigil tablets are also being used in the treatment of atypical depression. This condition is marked by hypersomnia, over-eating, low energy, and rejection sensitivity. While this condition is actually fairly common and the preliminary research has been promising, more large-scale trials are needed.
On an experimental basis, there are also a lot of ‘off-label’ Modafinil uses. This includes helping to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive deficits. Multiple sclerosis induced fatigue is also being investigated, as is post-anesthesia grogginess, spasticity associated with cerebral palsy, age-induced sedation, and excessive daytime fatigue and napping.
Finally, a number of individuals have found success with taking Modafinil dosages for weight loss as this drug both can lead to higher caloric expenditure and it can reduce appetite by as much as 38% fewer calories consumed per day.
Despite the uses mentioned above, the main motive behind most “off-label” uses of Modafinil is as a smart drug or cognitive enhancer. This includes being able to improve certain aspects of working memory like digit span, digit manipulation, and pattern recognition.
One study even showed that Modafinil restored normal levels of learning ability in methamphetamine addicts and that this supplement also has some neuroprotective effects.
Taking a single dose of Modafinil in the morning can give individuals razor-sharp focus, eliminate any urge to procrastinate and stimulate high-productivity for most of the day.
The heightened state of alertness derived from this medication has even seen the U.S. Air Force approve Modafinil as the sole drug that can be utilized for fatigue management.
- Most powerful and popular cognitive enhancers
- Supports memory, attentiveness, mood and improved mental performance
- Boost focus, motivation and energy
Modafinil Dosage:
So how much Modafinil should you be taking in a day to derive the greatest level of positive effects?
Modafinil is typically sold in 100 mg or 200 mg tablets with the 200 mg option being more popular and more widely available.
The typical recommended dose is 200 mg, taken once per day, usually during the morning. It may be taken with or without food.
Some individuals recommend starting with a 100 mg dose for the first week so that individuals can become accustomed to the effects. It is also possible to take higher doses.
Up to 400 mg per day has been shown to be very well-tolerated. However, it is also unclear as to whether or not increasing the dose will have any additional positive benefits. For individuals who are unsure as to what dose would suit their particular needs, it is recommended to consult the advice of a qualified doctor or health care professional.
Best Way to Use Modafinil Doses
Using Modafinil is quite straightforward. For starters, it is considered to be very safe and generally well-tolerated. This is especially true in otherwise healthy adults (it should not be taken by children).
If you are using this supplement as a method to fight off shift work sleep disorder (i.e. excessive drowsiness due to irregular work schedule or hours), then consider taking the supplement one hour or so before work starts. Most user reviews state that it is almost impossible to fall asleep within 12 hours of taking this drug, so plan accordingly for when to take your dosages.
There are some who believe Modafinil should be dosed based on body weight, however there is little evidence to show that this is necessary for the average user.
Despite the fact that this drug is viewed as relatively safe, there have been a few potential side effects associated with its use. These include headache, nausea, nervousness, rhinitis, diarrhea, back pain, anxiety, insomnia, and dizziness.
In placebo-controlled studies, 8% (versus 3% of those who received the placebo) discontinued use due to an adverse reaction or side effect(s). Of these, headache was the most frequently cited reason. Generally, using the appropriate Modafinil dosage will not lead to side effects and dangerous reactions are extremely rare.
- Saraf G, Viswanath B, Narayanaswamy JC, Holla B, Math SB. Modafinil for the treatment of antipsychotic-induced excessive daytime sedation: does it exacerbate tics? J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2013
- Boele FW, Douw L, de Groot M, van Thuijl HF, Cleijne W, Heimans JJ, Taphoorn MJ, Reijneveld JC, Klein M. The effect of modafinil on fatigue, cognitive functioning, and mood in primary brain tumor patients: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Neuro Oncol. 2013
- Generali JA, Cada DJ. Modafinil: Parkinson disease-related somnolence. Hosp Pharm. 2014
- Fernández A, Mascayano F, Lips W, Painel A, Norambuena J, Madrid E. Effects of modafinil on attention performance, short-term memory and executive function in university students: a randomized trial. Medwave. 2015
- Scoriels L, Jones PB, Sahakian BJ. Modafinil effects on cognition and emotion in schizophrenia and its neurochemical modulation in the brain. Neuropharmacology. 2013
- Wang XF, Bi GH, He Y, Yang HJ, Gao JT, Okunola-Bakare OM, Slack RD, Gardner EL, Xi ZX, Newman AH. R-modafinil attenuates nicotine-taking and nicotine-seeking behavior in alcohol-preferring rats. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2015
- Gajewski M, Weinhouse G. The Use of Modafinil in the Intensive Care Unit. J Intensive Care Med. 2015
- Fernandes HA, Zanin KA, Patti CL, Wuo-Silva R, Carvalho RC, Fernandes-Santos L, Bittencourt LR, Tufik S, Frussa-Filho R. Inhibitory effects of modafinil on emotional memory in mice. Neuropharmacology. 2013
- Federici M, Latagliata EC, Rizzo FR, Ledonne A, Gu HH, Romigi A, Nisticò R, Puglisi-Allegra S, Mercuri NB. Electrophysiological and amperometric evidence that modafinil blocks the dopamine uptake transporter to induce behavioral activation. Neuroscience. 2013
- Galvin E, Boesjes H, Hol J, Ubben JF, Klein J, Verbrugge SJ. Modafinil reduces patient-reported tiredness after sedation/analgesia but does not improve patient psychomotor skills. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2010
- OPR: HQ AFSOC/SGP. Air Force Special Operations Command Instruction 48-101. Aeromedical Special Operations. 2012
16 Comments
I use modafinil 1/2 of a tablet (100mg) in the morning to combat the fatigue from MS in conjunction with a muscle relaxer. It has given me my life back. The original prescription was 100mg in the morning and at lunch, which for me, I found to be too much. I experimented until I came up with this dosage which works for me. (55yr old male engineer) My daily commute is 100 miles, and this really helps me through it.
I popped 600mg on my first time lmao
LMAO
One has to scroll down halfway down the page to get to the gist of the article: just how much Modafinil is the right dosage. The juice of the article can only be found in a couple of sentence (quote):
“The typical recommended dose is 200 mg, taken once per day, usually during the morning. It may be taken with or without food.
Some individuals recommend starting with a 100 mg dose for the first week so that individuals can become accustomed to the effects. It is also possible to take higher doses.
Up to 400 mg per day has been shown to be very well-tolerated. However, it is also unclear as to whether or not increasing the dose will have any additional positive benefits.”
Keep putting up articles like this, and I guarantee you’ll lose readers faster than Friendster shed members when Facebook was on the upswing.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your feedback. We’re adding “Quick View” links to our articles at the moment so that it’s easier to jump to the information you’re looking for. I’m hoping to have them live across the site within a couple of months.
I’m guessing these should be live now, but I can’t find any.. how can I find those Quick view links?
I must be doing something wrong. I felt nothing from 200 mg, and with 400 mg I had a mild-at-best wakefulness enhancement that lasted little more than two hours. Afterwards I couldn’t avoid falling asleep.
Yeah I had blood/thyroid function tests, all normal. And yes, it was legit, bought from a pharmacy (it’s OTC here).
why are you using it of, what is your BMI??
I recently started taking Modafinil for chronic fatigue and am very happy with the results thus far. (I am a 42 yr old health female) My doctor first started me on Nuvigil, which is the brand name to Modafinil. She started me out at two, 50mg tablets in the morning and they worked wonderfully. Unfortunately, Nuvigil is very very expensive here in the US. I have great RX insurance and my co pay was $90.00 for 60 tablets. The pharmacist recommended the Modafinil 100mg. For the first week, my doctor wanted me to take 100mg in the morning but unfortunately I’m able to sleep right through that doseage. 100mg of the Modafinil is equivalent to 50mg of the brand name Nuvigil. Just yesterday, my doctor increased my doseage to 200mg in the morning. I just now took my new dosing so I don’t know if this will keep me awake. I certainly hope so because I cannot afford to go back on the Nuvigil but if that’s what it takes, I will definitely find a way to pay the high copayment.
queria saber onde compra empresa MODAFINIL??
William, I don’t think they allow the promotion of companies selling Modafinil. I would search online.
I started my first dose of modafinil at 7 a.m. this morning. Usually I become drowsy approaching noon hour and then throughout the remainder of the evening.. Almost Immediately after taking 1 tablet I noticed a burst of energy, I unknowingly skipped lunch because I didn’t have an appetite. I had a fish and vegetable dinner, a apple for dessert at 5 p.m. I also drank plenty of water throughout the day. Its now 6 p.m. and I haven’t felt one bit of fatigue or drowsiness. If I get a good night’s sleep tonight I will consider this the miracle drug of my life. Years prior to taking modafinil I suffered from sleep apnea, I found myself nodding off all times of the day and evening. Today was the first time in a very long time in my life I felt refreshed the entire workday. My dosage is 200 milligrams and I’m very excited about the results so far.
Is it common for this medication to make you sleepy. I take a lot of medications for back pain (all prescribed) and this morning I took my 200 mg pill and drank it with coffee. By the time 9:30am rolled around I was fighting to stay away and losing. I do not want to call in sick because I am not sick just really really tired. Help what should I try?
Modafinil has been a wonder drug for the three months I have been taking it. I thanked my doctor for giving my life back to me. I take 100 mg with breakfast and 100 mg for lunch. I am usually able to stay awake all day and evening. I am sleeping dramatically better during the night than I used to. (I am still following my régimen for obstructive and central sleep apnea. )
I have sleep apnea and narcolepsy. Usually tired ALL the time. I started on 100mg Modafinil in the morning for 3 days to see how I handled it. First day was amazing. Not tired at all. Alert and not jumpy. No longer felt like I couldn’t wait to take a nap. Mild loss of appetite, not bad. Second day still good. Third day felt a little tired afternoon. Next day started normal dosage of 200mg. Worked good for about a week but gradually becoming less and less effective. I expected this though because I have a high tolerance, I can easily sleep on adderal and even the usual speedy illegal subs. I have an appointment with my Neurologist next week and will see what he suggests.
I take 2 x 200mg in the morning and then another 2 x 200mg around 4 – 6pm
Maybe if i made my joints weaker, i wouldn’t feel so tired