Is modafinil safe? | What you should know

Thomas Thorne

Last update: February 2, 2023

Is modafinil safe?

Is modafinil safe?

This can be a big concern for most people who are thinking about trying Modafinil. A wonderful pill sounds great, but there has to be a downside, right?

In short, the research says it is absolutely safe and well tolerated for most people.

but there is are Some side effects of modafinil that you should be aware of.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about Modafinil safety and how to get the best experience with the nootropic.

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Disclaimer: The content on Modafinil.space is for informational and educational purposes only. We do not provide legal advice. Likewise, we do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your doctor before consuming modafinil or related nootropics. Your access to Modafinil.space is subject to our complete Disclaimer and conditions of use.


What is modafinil?

Modafinil is a prescription medication used to improve wakefulness, usually in people who get tired during the day because they have a sleep disorder such as [1]:

  • Narcolepsy
  • Sleep disorder in shift work
  • Obstructive sleep apnea

However, more than just keeping people awake, it has been found to have a lot of nootropic effects. Researchers have found that it contributes to:

  • Improved memory [2]
  • Incredibly sharp concentration[3, 4]
  • Improved cognition [2, 5, 6]
  • Greater motivation for work [5]
  • Improved mood [5, 7]
  • and more

These effects are the reason why it has been used by professionals in a lot of different situations and contexts, such as military missions.8], in newly created companies [9], on the International Space Station [10], and to improve performance in sports.

It is basically the “Unlimited” pill in real life.


Modafinil Side Effects and Safety

So, it works... but is modafinil safe?

Yes. We have written an entire article about Side effects of modafinil, but let's go over a little more of all that here. Some of the most common side effects include:

  • Sleeping problems: Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting agent. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is difficult to sleep on Modafinil. If you take Modafinil, don't expect to fall asleep for 14 to 15 hours.
  • Stomach problems: Modafinil can cause nausea and diarrhea. In our experience, this is a relatively common problem. However, this is a minor side effect and can almost be fixed by reducing or eliminating sugars from the diet, adding carbohydrates, and remembering to eat three meals.
  • Dehydration: It may be difficult to drink enough water when you use Modafinil and drink coffee. Both substances can leave you dehydrated. We combat this modafinil side effect by keeping a gallon of water by our side.

Other Side Effects of Modafinil

Some of the other most common side effects include [11]:

  • Headaches
  • Concern
  • Nervousness or anxiety
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness

These are the most common side effects of modafinil, but research suggests that they are actually still not very common for most people. For example, only about 17% of users experience headaches, the most common side effect.12]. That means that 83% percent No.

Most people probably won't experience any side effects.

Rare Modafinil Side Effects

There are some side effects of modafinil that are much rarer but also more serious. These include [13]:

  • Dry mouth
  • hallucinations
  • Arrhythmia
  • Sores
  • Bruising and/or bleeding
  • Stevens Johnson
  • Syndrome (skin rashes)

If you are curious about other modafinil side effects, check this out.


Modafinil is safe


Is modafinil safe?

Ok, there are some side effects... but is modafinil safe in general?

Yes, modafinil is safe.

Virtually all researchers agree on this: research reviews consistently note that Modafinil is "safe and well tolerated" [14, 15, 16].

However, there is a little to know about the safety of modafinil and if you belong to certain groups you should take extra caution.

Modafinil overdose

Technically, an overdose occurs any time you take more than the recommended dose.The recommended Modafinil dosage for most conditions it is between 100 mg and 200 mg. That's what also works best for use as a nootropic [17].

What happens if you take more than the prescribed dose? Is Modafinil overdose fatal?

No, no one has ever been reported to have died from an overdose of Modafinil. The researchers gave participants up to 1,200 mg a day for three weeks (about 10 times the recommended dose) and they were fine; There were “no unexpected or life-threatening effects” [18]. They even administered massive doses of up to 4,500 mg in a single day and no one suffered any life-threatening illness.18].

One person took 8 grams (more than 40 times the recommended dose) and was fine [19]. A person tried he committed suicide and took a huge dose of 5 grams of Modafinil, but he was also fine [20].Even children who accidentally ingested large amounts of modafinil survived and were fine [18].

That does What happens is that you are at greater risk of experiencing some unpleasant side effects. So make sure you don't take too much Modafinil to cause side effects.

Special populations

Modafinil is not appropriate for everyone. You should not take Modafinil if you belong to one of these groups [18]:

  • Pregnant women: There has been some research in animals that suggests that modafinil could harm the fetus.
  • Breastfeeding women: There have been no studies looking at the effect of modafinil on a baby through breast milk, but since modafinil could harm the fetus, it is recommended that breastfeeding women not use it.
  • Children: There have been no studies on the safety profiles of modafinil in children, so it is unclear if it is safe for use in pediatric populations. Children should not take modafinil.
  • People with heart disease or hypertension: Modafinil may increase blood pressure. If you have heart problems, talk to your doctor before using Modafinil.

Some populations may be at higher risk for side effects than others. If you are in these populations, you can take Modafinil, but your doctor may adjust your dose to improve safety [18]:

  • Older adults: Geriatric people may not metabolize modafinil as quickly as younger people, so it may stay in the body longer. Modafinil dosage can be adjusted accordingly.
  • Individuals with liver damage: Much of modafinil is metabolized in the liver. People with liver impairment may need to adjust their dose.
  • People taking other medications that interact with Modafinil: Medications that are broken down using the same enzymes that break down modafinil may not work or be metabolized normally. The dose of modafinil or the dose of other medications may need to be adjusted.

Modafinil Interactions

To maximize the safety of Modafinil, it is important to know how Modafinil may interact with other medications. When drugs interact with each other, they can behave in unpredictable ways. Avoiding interactions helps you avoid an unpredictable adverse effect.

Modafinil has an effect on certain liver enzymes that are important for breaking down some other drugs.21]. That means that other medications that are broken down by the enzymes CYP1A2, CYP2B6, or CYP3A4/5 may interact with Modafinil. These include [22, 23]:

  • Opioids
  • Citalopram
  • hydrocodone
  • Methadone
  • Adderall
  • dasabuvir
  • paritaprevir
  • Ranolazine
  • ritonavir
  • tipranavir

What makes modafinil safe?

Why do most people have relatively few problems taking one of the world's most powerful wakefulness agents?

Here are some reasons why Modafinil is safe:

  • It is not a stimulant: Modafinil is not a powerful stimulant like Adderall or cocaine. These drugs keep you awake adding neurotransmitters and chemicals, and can make you feel energized or nervous. Modafinil does not add that feeling of stimulation; instead, you accept far the feeling of tiredness. As such, most users consider Modafinil to be a safer alternative to real stimulants.
  • Does not create habit: People do not usually become addicted to modafinil; the risk of abuse is very low [24, 2526]. The smart drug is not like cocaine or even Adderall: you won't wake up after taking Modafinil for a week straight with a burning desire to take another smart pill. In fact, many have studied the use of Modafinil to steer drug users away from their choice.

Modafinil is safe


Is it safe to take modafinil every day?

Good, Yeah.

Research into the safety of modafinil has found that people who took even very high doses every day for three weeks were fine. People with sleep disorders. regularly Take normal doses of Modafinil every day.

But we definitely don't recommend it, especially for nootropic purposes.

While it may be safe, it is not good to take anything every day. And it could be that taking Modafinil every day contributes to you developing a tolerance and ultimately having to take more to feel the effect. So while you can safely take Modafinil every day, you probably should not.

We take it 1-2 times a week maximum. That's enough to get us through everything we need, but not enough to cause adverse effects.

Of course, if you have a sleep condition and your doctor tells you to take it every day, then by all means, do it.


How to take modafinil safely | 5 quick tips

Now that we know that Modafinil is relatively safe, let's talk about how to eliminate as many risks as possible.

Here are some quick tips:

  • Cycle it: Unless you have a medical condition, cycle using Modafinil. If you are using it as a nootropic, try to take Modafinil only 1 to 3 times a week, maximum. Avoid taking Modafinil more than 8 to 10 days in a 30-day period.
  • Low doses: It is not recommended to consume more than 200 mg of modafinil. Sometimes 300 mg is fine, but for most users, 200 mg is all they need to feel great effects and see benefits. Additionally, 200 mg will keep side effects minimized.
  • Take time off: If you use Modafinil 8 to 10 times a month for a few months, take some time off. Go 2 to 3 weeks without Modafinil and reset your tolerance levels. This is important when used as a smart drug.
  • Take only in the morning: Modafinil can affect your sleep schedule. That is one of his biggest downfalls. To combat this, try to only take Modafinil before 11am. m. We try to take the smart drug between 8 and 9 am. m.
  • Remember to eat and drink: Modafinil will suppress your appetite and you may not feel thirsty either. It is important to drink plenty of water when using the smart medicine and eat at normal times.

If you follow these five tips, you will find that taking Modafinil safely is not a big problem.

Unless you have a bad reaction, you should have no problem enjoying 12 to 15 hours or more of pure concentration while taking Modafinil.


Modafinil Safety Guide | Verdict

Is modafinil safe? For the vast majority of users, yes, Modafinil is quite safe. The research is consistent on that.

In fact, the authors of a comprehensive review of modafinil and its effects concluded: "Modafinil appears to be the first 'smart drug' that is reasonably safe for healthy people" [27].

The smart drug offers an excellent safety profile compared to other wakefulness agents. Talk to your doctor and then try the nootropic yourself.

Get the most powerful smart drug in the world... Modafinil


References

  1. Gerrard, P. and Malcolm, R. (2007). Mechanisms of modafinil: a review of current research. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 3(3), 349.
  2. Turner, D. C., Robbins, T. W., Clark, L., Aron, A. R., Dowson, J., & Sahakian, B. J. (2003). Cognitive-enhancing effects of modafinil in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology, 165(3), 260-269.
  3. Wesensten, New Jersey (2006). Effects of modafinil on cognitive performance and alertness during sleep deprivation. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 12(20), 2457-2471.
  4. Cope, Z. A., Minassian, A., Kreitner, D., MacQueen, D. A., Milienne-Petiot, M., Geyer, M. A.,… and Young, J. W. (2017). Modafinil improves attention performance in healthy humans who are not sleep deprived at doses that do not induce hyperarousal in all species. Neuropharmacology, 125, 254-262.
  5. Müller, U., Rowe, J.B., Rittman, T., Lewis, C., Robbins, T.W., and Sahakian, B.J. (2013). Effects of modafinil on nonverbal cognition, task enjoyment, and creative thinking in healthy volunteers. Neuropharmacology, 64, 490-495.
  6. Jean‐Pierre, P., Morrow, G. R., Roscoe, J. A., Heckler, C., Mohile, S., Janelsins, M.,… and Hopkins, J. O. (2010). A Phase 3, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial of the Effect of Modafinil on Cancer-Related Fatigue Among 631 Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Research Base Study of the Community Clinical Oncology Program of the Cancer Center University of Rochester. Cancer, 116(14), 3513-3520.
  7. Ballas, C. A., Kim, D., Baldassano, C. F., & Hoeh, N. (2002). Modafinil: Past, present and future. Neurotherapy Expert Review, 2(4), 449-457.
  8. Martin, R. (2003). It is time to wake up. Cabling. https://www.wired.com/2003/11/sleep/
  9. Arrington, R. (2008). How many Silicon Valley startup executives are betting on Provigil? Technological crisis. https://techcrunch.com/2008/07/15/how-many-of-our-startup-executives-are-hopped-up-on-provigil/
  10. Thirsk, R., Kuipers, A., Mukai, C., & Williams, D. (2009). The spaceflight environment: the International Space Station and beyond. CMAJ, 180(12), 1216-1220.
  11. Kumar, R. (2008). Approved and investigational uses of modafinil. Drugs, 68(13), 1803-1839.
  12. Greenblatt, K., and Adams, N. (2018). Modafinil.StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531476/
  13. Mayo Clinic (n.d.) Side effects of modafinil. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/modafinil-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20064870
  14. Moldofsky, H., Broughton, R. J., & Hill, J. D. (2000). A randomized trial of the continued long-term efficacy and safety of modafinil in narcolepsy. Sleep Medicine, 1(2), 109-116.
  15. Murillo-Rodríguez, E., Barciela Veras, A., Barbosa Rocha, N., Budde, H., & Machado, S. (2018). An overview of the clinical uses, pharmacology, and safety of modafinil. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 9(2), 151-158.
  16. Thompson, H. (2015). Modafinil, a narcolepsy drug, is the world's first safe "smart drug." The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/aug/20/narcolepsy-medication-modafinil-worlds-first-safe-smart-drug
  17. Drugs.com (2019). Modafinil. https://www.drugs.com/pro/modafinil.html
  18. FDA (undated). Provigil: Prescribing Information Highlights. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2015/020717s037s038lbl.pdf
  19. Spiller, H. A., Hays, H. L. and Aleguas, A. (2013). Drug overdose for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: clinical presentation, mechanisms of toxicity, and treatment. CNS Drugs, 27(7), 531-543.
  20. Neuman, G., Shehadeh, N., & Pillar, G. (2009). Failed suicide attempt by a 15-year-old adolescent with ingestion of 5000 mg of modafinil. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 5(4), 372-373.
  21. Robertson, P., DeCory, H. H., Madan, A., & Parkinson, A. (2000). Inhibition and induction of human hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes by modafinil in vitro. Disposition of Drug Metabolism, 28(6), 664-671.
  22. Drugs.com (2019). Modafinil interactions. https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/modafinil.html
  23. Epocrates (undated) Modafinil.https://online.epocrates.com/drugs/227404/modafinil/Drug-Interactions
  24. Hart, C. L., Haney, M., Vosburg, S. K., Comer, S. D., Gunderson, E., & Foltin, R. W. (2006). Modafinil attenuates alterations in cognitive performance during simulated night shift work. Neuropsychopharmacology, 31(7), 1526-1536.
  25. Mereu, M., Bonci, A., Newman, A.H. and Tanda, G. (2013). The neurobiology of modafinil as a cognitive performance enhancer and a potential treatment for substance use disorders. Psychopharmacology, 229(3), 415-434.
  26. Rush, C. R., Kelly, T. H., Hays, L. R., Baker, R. W. and Wooten, AF (2002). Acute physiological and behavioral effects of modafinil in drug users. Behavioral Pharmacology, 13(2), 105-115.
  27. Thompson, H. (2015). Modafinil, a narcolepsy drug, is the world's first safe "smart drug." The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/aug/20/narcolepsy-medication-modafinil-worlds-first-safe-smart-drug

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