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The comparison between Nuvigil vs Adderall usually comes down to 2 issues – efficacy and side effects.
Long used as a pharmaceutical treatment for attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Adderall is a well-known drug for creating alert, focused energy.
Nuvigil, also known as Armodafinil, is more of the “new kid on the block.”
It was originally developed as a wakefulness aid for people suffering from sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and shift work sleep disorder.
It is similar to the drug Provigil (Modafinil), prescribed for the same conditions.
Anecdotal user reports for these drugs started to flood in with claims of greatly enhanced cognitive abilities like greater mental focus, easier learning, and the ability to complete very involved tasks without distraction, as compared to Adderall effects.
These benefits could all be very valuable to ADHD patients.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Adderall vs Nuvigil, including side effects, abuse potential, and ease of purchase.
Energy
Cognition
Motivation- Wakefulness-boosting stimulant
- Enhances motivation and focus
- Shown to boost mental performance
Why Adderall Is Prescribed
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
Adderall is a drug composed of Dextroamphetamine Mixed Salts that is intended as a therapy for patients suffering from any attention deficit disorders, such as ADD or ADHD.
It is an amphetamine that produces a sensation of mental clarity and energy via dramatically increasing the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, two neurochemicals which govern pleasure response and “fight or flight” reactions.
The drug is frequently prescribed to children and young adults, who are among the majority of sufferers of these conditions.
Unfortunately, Adderall comes with all of the side effects associated with amphetamines, such as withdrawal and addiction risks.
Many people question whether these types of medications are suitable for children. There is growing interest in looking for natural ways to treat ADHD and safer alternatives to Adderall.
When considering Nuvigil vs Adderall, we have to weigh these side effects heavily, as well as the sensitivity of children’s still-developing neural landscapes.
History of Nuvigil
Nuvigil is the latest in a line of wakefulness promoting compounds that stretch back to the 1970s. In 1974, scientists at the French company Lafon Laboratories developed a series of benzhydryl sulfinyl compounds, of which Adrafinil was one.
During testing to determine Adrafinil’s mechanism of action, Modafinil was discovered. Modafinil is the primary active compound in Adrafinil that causes its effects within the body.
Both of these compounds are categorized as eugeroics, or wakefulness promoting compounds. They were seen to stimulate locomotion and alertness in animal models, and were first tested for human use as a treatment for the sleep disorder narcolepsy.
Adrafinil was approved as a treatment for this condition in France in 1986, while Modafinil was approved in France in 1994, and in the United States in 1998.
Later Modafinil was also approved for other conditions, as a treatment for shift-work sleep disorder, and as an adjunct treatment for the excessive daytime sleepiness experienced by some people who are already being treated for their obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
Lafon Laboratories was bought by Cephalon Inc in 2001. Cephalon continued to make the brand name version of Modafinil, Provigil. A few years before the exclusivity patent on Provigil was due to expire, the scientists at Cephalon began working on a derivative of this compound to help them maintain their market share.
The new product they developed was Armodafinil. Modafinil is comprised of two mirror image copies of the same molecular structure known as enantiomers. The R-enantiomer of Modafinil was seen to be more pharmacologically stable, active, and longer-acting than the S-enantiomer. Consequently, the researchers isolated the R-enantiomer alone to create Armodafinil (the name is even derived from its composition of only R-Modafinil).
Cephalon branded their new creation as Nuvigil. Nuvigil was approved by the FDA in 2007 as a treatment for the same sleep disorders as its predecessor, Provigil.
In 2011, Cephalon was acquired by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Acting as a subsidiary of Teva, Cephalon still produces the original name brand version of Modafinil and Armodafinil, respectively Provigil and Nuvigil.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Nuvigil Effects on Attention Span
Nuvigil is also known to alleviate symptoms of hyperactive mental activity. In adults, Nuvigil can prompt intense concentration and hours of productive focus upon any kind of detail-oriented task. Many of the mental distractions that make it difficult for ADHD sufferers to work, study, and learn are diminished with the use of Nuvigil.
For example, a frequently cited example reported by countless users is the ability to read an entire textbook in a single sitting. This kind of mental focus would be unthinkable for an untreated ADHD patient.
This emphasis on targeted concentration effects, as opposed to blunt over-stimulation, is one of the main reasons that in the battle of Nuvigil vs Adderall, Adderall simply can’t compete.
However, one of Adderall’s main drawbacks – its unsuitability for very young children, also is an issue for Nuvigil therapy. Though we have no hard evidence proving special risk of addiction, withdrawal, or harsh side effects relating to Nuvigil use in children, there have not been any official studies proving its safety for this use.
The manufacturer, Cephalon, advises that no one under the age of 17 should take Nuvigil, due to a lack of information about its effects. For this reason, Nuvigil can not legally be considered a viable therapy for the main disorders that Adderall treats.
However, there is a growing body of research using Nuvigil’s predecessor, Provigil, as a treatment for ADHD in all age groups, from pediatric up to adults. It has been seen in multiple double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials that Modafinil is significantly better than a placebo at improving scores on a variety of tests of ADHD symptoms, including Teacher and Parent ADHD Rating Scale-IV, Conners Rating Scales, and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale.
Additionally, in a test comparing Modafinil against a traditional ADHD medication (dextroamphetamine) it was seen that both medications significantly improved results on the DSM-IV ADHD Behavior Checklist for Adults compared to a placebo. As well, the improvement in scores was seen to be very similar between Modafinil and dextroamphetamine, leading the researchers to suggest that it should be considered as a viable alternative treatment for ADHD.
While these results have not been seen directly with Nuvigil yet, it is reasonable to extrapolate the results from these studies due to the high degree of similarity seen in the effects of these two drugs in other areas.
Nuvigil vs Adderall – Side Effects Comparison
Not all users of Nuvigil and Adderall are children. Many adults who suffer from attention deficit disorders also want to benefit from these medications.
For these adults, it’s important to look at the potential side effects of Nuvigil vs Adderall.
Nuvigil, while well-tolerated, has been cited as producing regular, low-level headaches in many users. It is not to be taken in conjunction with any high blood pressure or liver medications. When combined with illicit “street” amphetamines, it can be very dangerous – this should be absolutely be avoided.
In some rare cases, Nuvigil use can lead to increased risk of bruises and internal bleeding – though this is not the norm.
There is also the potential of developing one of a series of serious skin and mucous membrane reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome. In fact, it is because of a misdiagnosed case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (the diagnosis was later changed) in one patient in a pediatric study using Provigil for ADHD that led to it not being legal to give to children for this purpose.
There is strong evidence that this reaction typically develops in certain people who have a genetic predisposition to developing these conditions when they take certain medications such as antibiotics and Nuvigil.
Adderall also produces some side effects. The most often cited are anxious feelings, over-stimulation, restlessness, tremors, and excitability. Ironically, many of these symptoms are the very reason that people with ADHD use Adderall, hoping to find relief.
There is also a risk of serious cardiovascular issues associated with amphetamine use, including both increased and decreased blood pressure, and increased heart rate.
The worst part of Adderall use is addiction risk. Dopamine and Norepinephrine spikes caused by the drug are at the heart of many pharmaceutical dependencies. As these substances wane, users enter a withdrawal which makes them subject to abuse.
The blunt quality of Adderall’s effects make it difficult to predict who will be able to tolerate it well and in what dose.
Where to Get Nuvigil?
As far as legal use and prescriptions are concerned for Nuvigil vs Adderall, the more established medicine – Adderall – is far easier to work with. Adderall is a well-known brand supported by a huge marketing budget, as well as being a fixture in popular culture. Patients are more likely to ask for it and doctors are more likely to prescribe it.
In fact, it is estimated that there are as many as 10 million Adderall prescriptions currently in use. It is a legally recognized therapy for ADHD, as well as wakefulness disorders.
Nuvigil on the other hand, has only been approved for certain sleep disorders under FDA policy. In order to buy Nuvigil legally, you must have been diagnosed with narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, or obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Some doctors may write off-label prescriptions, but this is not very common as it could lead to doctors facing liability concerns.
If you are able to get an off-label prescription though, this does not guarantee that you will actually be able to take Nuvigil for your ADHD. Typically you will have to pay high retail prices for the pills as insurance companies almost never cover off-label uses.
Foreign pharmacies which sell Nuvigil without prescription are famously unreliable, and often result in seized goods, lost money, and pills of dubious quality. This severely limits the number of people who might benefit from it.
Safe Non-Prescription Alternatives For Mental Clarity
If you have a child suffering from ADHD, or are an adult who is wary of both Nuvigil and Adderall side effects, it might be worthwhile to consider an alternate approach.
Nootropics which boost many cognitive functions can be a viable alternative to prescription medications. Many nootropics are legal, easy to buy from U.S.-based vendors, and have guaranteed, verifiable safety records.
One of the most common Nuvigil alternatives is its predecessor, Adrafinil. When ingested, Adrafinil is transported to the liver. There it is broken down into its component parts, modafinilic acid and Modafinil. Once it has gone through this initial conversion process, the effects of Adrafinil are said to be comparable to taking Modafinil directly.
The side effects of Adrafinil are often similar to Modafinil. There is a concern about a buildup of toxic liver enzymes if Adrafinil is taken on a regular basis, so it is often recommended that it be taken occasionally when extra mental energy is necessary to complete a difficult work or school task.
Another nootropic option that some people use as a non-prescription Nuvigil alternative is one of the Racetams. This family of compounds are all based off of the original nootropic Piracetam that was developed in the 1960s at UCB Pharma.
The Racetams have been observed to have positive effects on Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is linked to executive function, memory, and learning ability. The derivatives of Piracetam were all developed later and are more potent than their predecessor. These derivatives include Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Phenylpiracetam, and Pramiracetam.
Choline-based supplements are another very popular nootropic supplement option for developing mental clarity and heightened concentration, and carry none of the risks of prescription drugs.
In the final comparison of Nuvigil vs Adderall, some people find that a natural alternative approach might be the safest bet. Further nootropic options that some people take for ADHD are described in detail in the article linked here.
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Article last updated on: April 16th, 2018 by Nootriment
2 Comments
I am an RN and have moderate ADHD as well. My Dr. prescribed this to me for shift work disorder in 2007, after I almost made a potentially harmful medication error in the cath lab, after being on call all night the night before. It helped dramatically, and I found helped my ADHD, too. I don’t take it every day, but I always have it on hand for when I work all night and haven’t slept. It does not cause the heart palpitations and anxiety adderall does. Also, being a cath lab nurse, I’ve seen the arrhythmias amphetamines can cause to your heart. Nuvigil is safer and will probably be more mainstream now that it is not as expensive.
My Dr. back then was a previous army Dr., and she told me they used to give it to fighter pilots during training for long hours. Since then, my psychiatrist now, who is older, say he and his wife both take it for cognitive improvement and memory. He was very impressed my family Dr. Back then thought of it. Now that doctors don’t have to fill out paper work to get it approved by insurance, it will probably become more common. Before that, insurance would rather pay for amphetamine salts, which are so worse for you, even for night shift workers. Go figure.
Hi Kristy,
Thanks for sharing your experience – it’s really valuable feedback to hear.