0
3.69
6
As a result of Wall Street traders to Silicon Valley executives having admitted to taking Modafinil on a regular basis, this drug has become one of the most hyped cognitive enhancers.
Modafinil is well-known for its ability to help keep individuals alert, vigilant, energetic, and focused over long periods of intense mental activity. When taken properly, reviews state that Modafinil doesn’t negatively affect sleep patterns or lead to addiction like other powerful stimulants (i.e. amphetamines, cocaine).
Modafinil is a wakefulness drug that is approved by the FDA for treating conditions such as narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and sleep apnea which can often cause excessive daytime sleepiness.
In this review, we will look at what the effects of Modafinil actually are and whether it deserves all of the positive attention.
Alertness
Mental Acuity
Focus- Stimulates wakefulness in the brain
- Promotes mental acuity & processing
- Enhances focus, motivation & energy
What is Modafinil?
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 to treat a variety of medical conditions that can impact fatigue levels during the day. This drug is able to help individuals continue functioning despite serious sleep related issues that make it difficult for individuals to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
Initial patients who took Modafinil found that their daytime alertness levels were at a noticeably higher level.
During tests it was also found that the drug improved patients’ focus and made them more goal orientated at work. Tasks involving reading, writing, and performing complex technical analysis became less straining and the average user’s attention span increased.
Studies found that Modafinil could improve mental performance in cases of sleep deprivation, but is also had a positive effect on normal, healthy adults who were not sleep deprived.
Following these findings, psychiatrists began prescribing Modafinil to patients with ADHD and other types of cognitive impairments. When these individuals reported positive results with much lower rate of side effect occurrence as compared to traditional stimulant use (such as Adderall), the off-label use of this drug skyrocketed.
Due to the fact that Modafinil has never been officially approved for use in patients with ADHD prescriptions generated for these conditions have been categorized as off-label. Although it is considered to be helpful at improving focus and attention in adults, it is no longer recommended for use in children.
There are also a number of other, off-label applications for the use of Modafinil. Some of the conditions the drug has been prescribed for include: depression, bi-polar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, disease-related fatigue, and even cocaine and opiate dependence. User reviews of Modafinil state that the drug is also an effective and well-tolerated treatment in those with seasonal affective disorder.
Modafinil continues to be widely used as a cognitive enhancer and studies have found it to greatly improve some elements of working memory (digit span, digit manipulation, and pattern recognition).
There is also evidence that this drug can be used as an effective treatment to help restore normal learning ability in methamphetamine addicts.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Modafinil Use & User Reviews
Modafinil was originally developed in the 1970’s as a derivative of the pro-drug Adrafinil. The medication was only introduced to the US market in the 1990’s.
Recently, online suppliers based internationally have begun offering Modafinil for sale to individuals without a prescription. This has spurred an underground market of Modafinil users who take the drug solely to improve performance levels at school and work.
In some competitive industries such as in the financial markets, there is an exceptionally high rate of off-label Modafinil use. These individuals state that the drug helps maintain their edge to stay competitive in fast-paced work environments.
Some of the common themes found in user reviews state:
- A sustained increased in enthusiasm and motivation
- Improved energy levels and not longer feeling tired during the day
- Increased confidence often leading to better social interactions
- Find it difficult to do nothing and significant decrease in procrastination
- More decisive and proactive when tackling tough projects
On Drugs.com there are ratings for various uses of Modafinil. Users rate the effectiveness of a drug on a scale from one to ten (1= not effective, 10= most effective), taking positive and negative effects as well as ease of use into consideration. The following is the the average effectiveness score reported from users for various conditions, as well as the total number of reviews made:
On-Label Uses
- Narcolepsy: ave. 7.2 rating (110 reviews)
- Shift-work sleep disorder: ave. 8.6 rating (22 reviews)
- Obstructive sleep apnea: ave. 8.2 rating (40 ratings)
Off-Label Uses
- ADHD: ave. 8.9 rating (18 reviews)
- Fatigue: ave. 8.9 rating (31 reviews)
- Depression: ave. 8.3 rating (39 reviews)
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: ave. 7.0 rating (31 reviews)
Here are some positive individual user’s reviews from online forums describing their personal Modafinil use for various conditions:
For Narcolepsy: “Been taking modafinil for 2 years. When I don’t take this drug I’m more prone to taking involuntary naps, dozing, and falling asleep early in the day. This drug had allowed me to live a normal life with exceptional benefits and no withdrawal /side effects. On the off day I decline to take it so my tolerance does not build. I sometimes get angry that recreational users with no prescription write reviews about this drug because they have no experience with sleep disorders and thus have a skewed idea of what this drug can do for those that do.”
For Shift Work Sleep Disorder: “Great stuff to stay awake and keep alertness throughout the night. It’s a lifesaver for me. I use to pass out driving home every morning. Now I make it home safe.”
For Fatigue: “I began taking this medication for chronic fatigue/excessive daytime sleepiness about two months ago. The initial dosage of 100mg was ineffective, however, at 300mg it works great. Energy level, motivation, focus has increased dramatically. Effects exceed those of Methyphendlate, but are inferior to Adderal. Strongly recommend.”
For ADD: “This medicine is literally a life changer. For so long I took adderall to get me through the day and to sustain focus during college courses. Adderall gave me severe anxiety and depression and I thought I had lost all hope seeing as that is “the best” drug for ADD… WRONG! Modafinil gives you the same level of focus without ANY side effects… no anxiety, no depression, no euphoria (which is great because adderall is very addictive) and minimal weight loss. It has improved my life to the point that my friends and family members have been commenting on how great I sound.”
For ADHD: “Modafinil is quite useful and I have not experienced habit forming properties; this was a problem with all other ADHD medications I have been prescribed over the past 10 years. Although I also tried Strattera for three months prior to my starting Provigil. My only issue is that so far I have only been able to receive 200mg which only helps me until afternoon. I am in need of a large enough prescription so I can have an afternoon dose. Hopefully somehow my insurance can become convinced that this is necessary for my health.”
Modafinil Dosage & Use
The recommended dosage of Modafinil really depends on a case to case basis. Generally, most users will find that 200 mg, taken once per day is suitable for their condition. A less common dosing schedule would be to take 100 to 400 mg per day split into two dosing administrations.
Modafinil has a relatively long 10 to 15 hour half-life so individuals are recommended not to take a dose after noon. Individuals taking their dose too late might experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
Although Modafinil has been known to significantly increase energy levels, individuals should continue to maintain a regular and healthy sleep-cycle.
Are there any Side Effects?
As with any other powerful drug there are some side effects that have been linked with Modafinil use. While it is generally considered to be safe and well-tolerated in healthy adults, care should be taken to use this drug safely.
Reviews of Modafinil often state that side effects are more noticeable when individuals first start taking the smart drug, as a result it is recommended to start at a smaller dose during the first week.
Some of the reported side effects include headache, drowsiness, back pain, nervousness, stuffy nose, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, anxiety, and trouble sleeping. In some cases, there are serious potential side effects like rash, allergic reactions, mouth sores, hives, peeling or blistering skin, swelling of the face or legs, trouble swallowing or breathing, fever, and shortness of breath.
While there is some potential for addiction when using Modafinil, this is actually much lower than traditional stimulants. Although the drug affects Dopamine and the brain’s reward center system, there are other mechanisms of action which actually lower the potential for addiction.
Several studies indicate a very limited potential for abuse on a large scale and that it ‘does not possess an addictive potential in naïve individuals.’ Many Modafinil reviews caution that even if individuals are not physically addicted to the effects of the drug, they may become mentally reliant on it.
Rest and breaks are recommended at regular intervals when taking a drug like Modafinil in order to decrease the chance of experiencing negative side-effects.
<
Free shipping
- Brandt MD, Ellwardt E, Storch A. Short- and long-term treatment with modafinil differentially affects adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Neuroscience. 2014
- Golicki D, Bala MM, Niewada M, Wierzbicka A. Modafinil for narcolepsy: systematic review and meta-analysis. Med Sci Monit. 2010
- Kaiser PR, Valko PO, Werth E, Thomann J, Meier J, Stocker R, Bassetti CL, Baumann CR. Modafinil ameliorates excessive daytime sleepiness after traumatic brain injury. Neurology. 2010
- Joo EY, Hong SB, Kim HJ, Lim YH, Koo DL, Ji KH, Tae WS. The effect of modafinil on cortical excitability in patients with narcolepsy: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Sleep Med. 2010
- Scoriels L, Jones PB, Sahakian BJ. Modafinil effects on cognition and emotion in schizophrenia and its neurochemical modulation in the brain. Neuropharmacology. 2013
- Smart K, Desmond RC, Poulos CX, Zack M. Modafinil increases reward salience in a slot machine game in low and high impulsivity pathological gamblers. Neuropharmacology. 2013
- Carrillo-Larco RM. [Modafinil, Internet and social networks: its use in health surveillance]. Rev Med Chil. 2012
- Liu X, Petit JM, Ezan P, Gyger J, Magistretti P, Giaume C. The psychostimulant modafinil enhances gap junctional communication in cortical astrocytes. Neuropharmacology. 2013
Article last updated on: April 10th, 2018 by Nootriment