Modafinil vs Armodafinil vs Adrafinil Comparison
Since the middle of eighties of the XX century, workers, clerks, students, army men, and many other professionals have an effective remedy to go beyond the natural limits of the human’s mind and body. The Cephalon Inc. pharmaceutical company invented the medications that gained fame as “smart drugs” because they gave people additional thinking capacities.
In this article we will tell you about three medicinal preparations widely used all over the world to treat various sleep disorders and for other purposes. They are Modafinil, Armodafinil, and Adrafinil. The first two, the most popular and certified in the USA, you can buy in our online pharmacy ModafinilXL. Herein we will try to elucidate the differences and similarities of the three medications in regard to their uses, effects, and general guidelines on the methods and rates of administrations.
The reviewed medicines firstly were developed as eugeroics, wakefulness-promoting substances, to help people with narcolepsy. Really, the patients witnessed that these drugs helped them to stay active and to resist drowsiness in situations of deficient or irregular sleep. Very soon, though, they acquired popularity among people as nootropic drugs that enhance their learning and working abilities, making their brains function quicker and brighter.
Ambitious office workers use such medicaments to stay at work for extra hours and build a career, as they believe that they help them to evaluate situations better and make quick and correct decisions. Students take nootropic pills to increase their memory and help prepare for exams. Even army forces and sportsmen use these preparations to get superiority over their contenders, and scientists think that the further development of these medicinal products may help to reveal the hidden possibilities of a human’s brain.
Still, for the moment the only legal indication of modafinil, adrafinil, and armodafinil is for excessive daytime sleepiness caused by several factors:
- narcolepsy;
- shallow or interrupted breathing during sleep;
- shift work sleeping disorder.
Though the other usages are off-label, they stay extremely popular among our customers and many people all over the world.
What Is Modafinil?
Modafinil was the first legalized wakefulness-promoting drug in the USA. The certificate was given by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998 to cure narcolepsy. Five years later this medication was approved for patients with daytime somnolence allied with sleep apnea or hypopnea, and those working night shifts. As soon as it appeared on the market, modafinil became extremely popular for its effectiveness in cognition and alertness enhancement.
In the USA it is marketed under the brand name Provigil, but French doctors have prescribed Modiodal pills with the same active compound since 1984. In the ModafinilXL drug store you can buy the generics of this drug, such as Modafinil, Modalert, Modvigil, and our novelty Modaheal. All tablets come in the strengths of 100 and 200 mg, so that any user can choose the appropriate dosage.
What Is Adrafinil (Discontinued)?
Olmifon, the adrafinil pill, is a pioneer among the reviewed medications. Two pharmacists from France were working on a painkiller but eventually invented the first eugeroic. Tests on animals, and later on humans, showed that it increased activity and vigilance in patients. Nootropic effects, and even mood improvements, were also documented during the trials.
The Lafon Laboratories started marketing adrafinil preparations in 1984, and it was sold in France and Europe until 2011, when manufacturing was stopped by the company. The generic versions of this drug are still available online. The FDA never gave the license to it to be marketed in the USA, as modafinil, the natural metabolite of adrafinil, was chosen as a primary medicinal product for commercializing.
What Is Armodafinil?
Armodafinil was the latest, but also, for many indicators, the most successful wakefulness-promoting drug. It was derived from modafinil. Going deeper into its chemistry, modafinil is a racemic drug, which means that this substance has both left and right optical isomers in its molecule. On the contrary, armodafinil has only the right one. It has the same effects and uses as modafinil.
Armodafinil was introduced to the market in June 2007, when the FDA certified it for prescription to patients with different causes of excessive daytime sleepiness. It was also investigated for its effectiveness against the symptoms of schizophrenia and jet lag, but it never got approval from medical authorities. The off-label usage of this medication is as wide and popular as of its precursors. Many users choose it for its longtime performance and efficient improvement of thinking processes, professional and learning skills, focus, memory, and creativity.
Armodafinil was originally traded by Cephalon Inc. as Nuvigil. In 2016, another American pharmaceutical company, Mylan N.V., got the license from the federal administration to produce a generic version of this drug. We offer you high-quality and wallet-friendly generics from India — Armodafinil 150 mg, Artvigil, and Waklert which are of the same strength. For less than a dollar per pill you can have all advantages of one of the best eugeroics.
Differences and Similarities
All three medications have more similarities than differences. They perform mostly the same action and, as they are cognate by their chemical formula, these drugs have similar precautions, contraindications, and side effects. There are few differences in the doses and methods of consumption, the time of onset, and the duration of performance.
Let’s see who are the consumers of modafinil, armodafinil, and adrafinil. Their legal indications are the same, as they help people to stay awake, fight drowsiness during the day, keep vigilance, attention, and concentration, and generally normalize the sleep schedule. These drugs were also tested as antipsychotics for schizophrenia, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), general anxiety, etc.; as well as anti-obesity medications and cures for brain impairments caused by chemotherapy, but they were not approved for any of these reasons, though in some cases they showed positive results as compared to a placebo.
Thus, this medication is in high demand among people who have trouble with regular sleep due to various maladies. For example, if you experience a complete or partial airway obstruction during sleep, it may be a big problem to stay vigorous and focused during the day. Eugeroics cannot help with the apnea/hypopnea syndrome, but you will not drop with fatigue at work or during classes. In a case when a working schedule does not coincide with a normal daily regimen, and a person has to work at nights, these pills also come in handy. Narcolepsy, or the inability to control the wake-sleep rhythm, is a serious neurological disease, and our medications are widely prescribed to such patients.
As we already mentioned, armodafinil and modafinil are also used by:
- army men, as they efficiently increase concentration and decision-making power, and help them to endure the long sleep deprivation;
- sportsmen, for additional energy and increased exercising time;
- workers who need to stay completely awake and alert during their shifts, like pilots, drivers, operators of the complex mechanisms, etc.;
- people who do intellectual work, e.g. clerks, politicians, economic and financial experts, scientists, professors and students, etc. Adrafinil, armodafinil, and modafinil are well-known for their cognitive enhancement capacities.
Olmifon was prescribed to elderly patients to elevate vigor, mood, and active attention. Provigil was officially approved by the army commands of several countries, like France, Canada, and the United States, to substitute amphetamines.
The latter were used in military forces and by individuals as a remedy to promote brain functioning, regulate mood disorders, battle sleepiness and fatigue, and elevate thinking, creativity, and physical performance. After modafinil appeared in pharmacies, it won a great deal of a former amphetamines’ popularity. Truly, internet users often compare Provigil and Nuvigil vs Adderall. They witness that the latter, alongside the positive and desired effects, causes excessive agitation and euphoria, and has stronger addicting properties. On the contrary, eugeroics make their brains work “like a racing car,” “a ninja,” and other complementary epithets that you easily can find in their reviews all over the worldwide web.
Mechanism of Action
All three medications have the same mechanism of action, which lays in changing the chemical processes in a human’s brain. First of all, they suppress the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. This neurotransmitter has an inhibitory action, which means that it reduces the neuronal activity in the central nervous system of mammals. Modafinil and congeners also inhibit dopamine reuptake, increasing the level of this important neurotransporter, which brings signals from one brain cell to another. It seems to cause wakefulness effects, stimulate cognitive processes, and promote active brain performance.
Armodafinil is, in fact, an enantiopure modafinil, as it has the same principle of work as its racemiс colleague. Their mechanisms of actions are identical. Adrafinil is a prodrug, which means that it gets in the blood as an inactive substance, and only after getting into the liver is it converted into active modafinil. The further activity of this medication in human’s body is no different from that of its metabolite.
Dosage and Variations
Olmifon was administered to patients with narcolepsy in doses from 600 to 1200 mg. It was taken either once a day in the morning as a full dose or divided into two intakes in the morning and in the middle of the day. Doctors informed their patients not to take the medication in the evening and did not continue treatment for periods longer than five months.
Nuvigil and Provigil have the same methods of administration, but they slightly differ in dosages. These pills are usually delivered once a day in the morning or one hour prior to the working shift. They can be taken either on a full or empty stomach, though fatty meals may delay the action a little. The usual adult everyday measure of modafinil is 200 mg, in severe cases of excessive sleepiness — 400 mg, which is the highest allowed amount of the drug for one intake. The usual dose of armodafinil is 150 mg, and the max daily amount is 250 mg.
When comparing two available strengths of modafinil 100 mg vs 200 mg, we have to mention that doctors prescribe the latter measuring for adults without health restrictions. Only patients with serious hepatic illnesses take half of the recommended dose. Meanwhile, many users report that a 100 mg pill of modafinil is completely enough for them to wake up and keep their eyes open all day long.
If you need it as a smart drug, most reports on the internet say that it is better to start with the minimum available strengths and increase it gradually. Anyway, with the rates and schedules in any treatment there is one common and strict rule — even if you buy eugeroics and nootropics over the counter and intend to use them off-label, do consult a doctor and ask them to adjust the dosages personally for you and establish the appropriate timetable of administration, and you should never depart from these instructions.
Half-Life and Duration
Among the three reviewed medications, Olmifon has the longest onset time. This is explained by the fact that it needs to get to the liver and metabolize into the active drug — modafinil. The first effects are noticeable after only an hour to an hour and a half after ingestion. The drug reaches its peak of action in 2-4 hours and keeps on working for about 14 hours. Adrafinil itself disappears from a human’s system very soon, between one and four hours after ingestion.
Modafinil performs its action for the same period of time, but it needs only between 30 and 60 minutes to begin action. The absorption happens quickly, and the maximum plasma concentration is usually reached after a maximum of four hours. The time of complete drug clearance from the organism is about 15 hours, the same as the duration of modafinil’s performance.
The common professional medical opinion is that armodafinil has similar indices as its older congener. With a lower dose delivery, it shows the first effects after half an hour. When taken after a fast, it attains peak performance in two hours and acts all day long. There were documented cases when the maximum concentration of the drug in the blood came after six hours when the medicine was taken with fatty food.
We have to mention, though, that there are many blogs on the web from individuals that used both Provigil and Nuvigil, or a generic, and they reported about the brighter and longer action of the newer drug. Its advantages are explained by the fact that it is purely the right enantiomer of modafinil which seems to be more active than the left one. Medical scientists do not prove or dispose of such witnesses, though they point out that the elimination of modafinil has two phases. The right isomer stays in the body 3 times longer than the left one. Hence, armodafinil can really be slightly more effective than modafinil, thanks to its enantiopure molecule.
Smart Drugs Safety
The safety profile of all three drugs is identical. Here are the precautions you have to take in order to make the treatment secure from causing any harm to your health:
- consult a doctor about the prosology and schedule, and do not depart from his rules. Never discontinue the drug without a professional assistance, try not to miss a daily dose, but never take a double one if you did;
- inform your medical adviser about the illnesses you have or had in the past. Your medical chart may significantly influence your dosages or might be a reason to go off your medications. For example, eugeroics should not be taken by patients with a history of strokes or heart attacks, and should be taken with great caution if there are any psychiatric diseases, CNS impairments, various cardiovascular ailments or blood pressure problems, or renal and hepatic diseases;
- consider the interactions of our smart pills with other medications, alcohol, and food. It is best to avoid grapefruit when you are on modafinil, adrafinil, or armodafinil. Spirits, especially taken shortly before the tablet, may cause an unhealthy increased action of both. If you take any medicinal products, herbs, or dietary additives, you should tell your doctor about them. Chemotherapy, antiretroviral therapy, and drugs for hepatitis will lose their effectiveness if you take them together with nootropics. The doses of certain antibiotics, antimycotics, direct antivirals, cures for malaria, and blood tension regulators should be adjusted to eugeroics if they are taken simultaneously. Hormonal contraceptives have no effect even a month later after the cessation of eugeroics;
- adverse reactions, especially signs of hypersensitivity to the drug, are compelling reasons to seek medical attention. If you observe swelling on the face and joints, hives, or troubled breathing — immediately go to a hospital. Such symptoms as depression, seeing and hearing unreal things, problems with urination, tremors, uncontrolled agitation and aggressiveness, sudden bruises and signs of incoagulability, fainting, vomiting, or unusual stool color also pose a serious danger to your health.
All changes in your health and emotional condition should be reported to your medical assistant without delay. It is best to minimize the risks, especially with serious and efficient nootropics.
Modafinil vs Adrafinil vs Armodafinil Users’ Reviews
Adrafinil is a discontinued medication, and there are few reviews about it on the net. People can still buy it, but with armodafinil and modafinil on the market, it has gradually lost its popularity. Still, the feedback from users is mostly positive. People note that it is an effective and smooth medication for drowsiness and fatigue, though it works rather slowly.
Modafinil seems to be more popular in the USA, as it has been on the market much longer than armodafinil, though they both have equally high ratings among our customers. Lately, though, armodafinil is on the rise as more and more people discover this new medications and its efficient action.
As a customer of the ModafinilXL pharmacy, you can submit a report about any drug we sell. With the help of such feedback from real users, our newcomers can make a decision and buy the drug they really need. This is very helpful for our crew, and we give a $30 discount toward your next order for an honest review.
Modafinil vs Armodafinil Video Comparison
We suggest you to watch a video which explains the chemical specialties of two drugs and offers a short but informative comparison of armodafinil vs modafinil. This chart can help you to summarize the pros and cons of both medications, as well as view their uses and effects, guidelines, and safety instructions.
Modafinil vs Armodafinil Comparison
So What Smart Drug to Choose?
We cannot make the right choice for you, but we do our best to help you do it yourself. In our blog and reviews section, you can find meaningful information about our medicinal products. Before placing an order, you can see the dosages and make a price comparison. Though the smart drugs of our drugstore seem very alike, each of them has their own advantages. Taking into consideration all the information we offer you herein, you can make your decision. If you still hesitate, you are welcome to use our help center, see our special offers, or simply get the free trial packs of our medications to see which works best for you.
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