If you've been reading about nootropics for a while, you've definitely heard of modafinil. It's considered to be the best nootropic by many users. You've probably also heard about adrafinil and armodafinil.
But, which one is the best? What are the differences between modafinil, adrafinil, and armodafinil? In this post, we're going to answer those questions and many more. But first, let's look at what these three powerful nootropics are.
A Class Of Their Own
Modafinil, adrafinil, and armodafinil all belong to a class of drugs known as eugeroics. Eugeroics are wakefulness-promoting agents, substances that help you stay awake and alert.
This class of drugs is used to treat certain sleep disorders, excessive daytime sleepiness, and other conditions. They are effective and considered to have a very low potential for abuse. They also happen to make excellent nootropics.
When used as a nootropic, modafinil, adrafinil, and armodafinil all promote a state of focused alertness. One dose usually lasts all day, making them easy to take. Benefits of eugeroics include:
- Increased Focus
- Increased Wakefulness
- Increased Alertness
- More Energy
- Improved Mood
Now, let's take a look at each of these eugeroics individually.
Modafinil
This is possibly the most popular nootropic in the world, other than caffeine. It was created in the 1970's but didn't see widespread use until the 90's. Sold under the name Provigil in the United States, modafinil is a powerful eugeroic with plenty of science to support its safety and effectiveness.
You can learn more about modafinil here: Modafinil – A Powerful and Popular Nootropic.
Adrafinil
Adrafinil is a prodrug of modafinil. What that means is that, after you take adrafinil, it converts into modafinil in your body. It was sold as a prescription drug in several countries for many years but has been replaced by modafinil and armodafinil. They don't need to be converted in the body to work, making them more effective.
Since adrafinil needs to be converted to modafinil in the body, it can put a slight strain on your liver. If you're already taking other drugs that affect your liver like acetaminophen (Tylenol), adrafinil may increase that strain. Although liver problems with adrafinil are extremely rare, most people prefer to use modafinil or armodafinil instead, as they do not put any unnecessary strain on your liver.
Armodafinil
This is the newest of all the eugeroics. Armodafinil was approved by the FDA in 2007 and is sold under the brand name Nuvigil. It's considered to be a more powerful version of modafinil, lasting longer and requiring a smaller dosage.
You can learn more about armodafinil here: Armodafinil For Cognitive Enhancement.
Modafinil, Adrafinil, & Armodafinil – Which Is Better?
There is no question that all three of these are safe and effective. They all have plenty of science to support their use. So, which is better: modafinil, adrafinil, or armodafinil?
To make things easier, we can take adrafinil out of the running. While it is an effective nootropic for sure, it has some drawbacks that the others don't. That's why it's been discontinued as a prescription drug while the other two are still widely available.
Adrafinil isn't effective on its own. After you take it, your body converts it into modafinil which is effective. This means that adrafinil puts a little bit of strain on your liver and takes longer to work. For these reasons, we can conclude that adrafinil isn't the best of the three.
So, that just leaves modafinil and armodafinil. We already know that they have a lot in common. Now, let's look at the differences between these two.
Differences Between Modafinil and Armodafinil
Duration
Armodafinil's effects last longer than those of modafinil. While both modafinil and armodafinil have similar half-lives (how long it takes for half of the drug to be out of your system), armodafinil stays active longer.
It takes armodafinil longer to reach peak plasma concentrations than modafinil. This means that the nootropic effects of armodafinil peak later and last longer than modafinil.
Chemistry
Both of these drugs are extremely similar, but they're not identical. Modafinil consists of two enantiomers equally: r-modafinil and s-modafinil. While modafinil is made up of 50% of each enantiomer, armodafinil is 100% r-modafinil, which is where its name comes from.
Potency
This is the last major difference between these two powerful nootropics. Modafinil is slightly weaker than armodafinil. 200 mg of modafinil is said to be equal to just 150 mg of armodafinil. That means that, milligram for milligram, armodafinil is about 25% stronger than modafinil.
So, Which Is Better: Modafinil or Armodafinil?
There's no question about whether or not these powerful substances work. Both of them have tons of research and anecdotal reports to support their safety and effectiveness. But, which is better: modafinil or armodafinil?
If you had to pick one over the other, armodafinil seems to be the way to go. Its effects last longer and require a smaller dosage. While armodafinil hasn't been around nearly as long as modafinil, there is plenty of science to support its safety. So, to answer our original question, “Which is better: modafinil, adrafinil, or armodafinil,” the answer is armodafinil.
That being said, some people prefer modafinil to armodafinil. They like the slightly-shorter duration and milder effects. The only way to truly answer the question, “Which is better: modafinil, adrafinil, or armodafinil,” is to try them all and decide for yourself.
Conclusion
Modafinil, adrafinil, and armodafinil are all powerful nootropics with a number of benefits. Increased alertness, energy, wakefulness, and focus are all common effects of these three drugs. And they all have years of research behind them supporting their safety and effectiveness.
If you had to pick just one of these potent eugeroics, armodafinil seems to be the way to go. It is just as effective as adrafinil and modafinil, lasts longer, and is slightly more powerful.
But the only way to know which one is better for you is to try them. Adrafinil has to be converted in the body to be effective, but the other two work as is. If you want to try modafinil or armodafinil, we highly recommend ModafinilXL.
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I just started taking this medication for narcolepsy and effects of sleep neap. I’m on my second week. When I first started to take it, it seemed to be working very well, but now, into my second week I seem to be having anxiety issues. My heart is racing and I feel slightly dizzy with a slight headache. This starts shortly after I take my daily dose and usually gets better during the day, but does not go away entirely. I also take bupropion for ADHD and depression, so I don’t know if these drugs are interacting with each other or not?