.png){kind=small}
Modafinil is a powerful drug that can have profound effects on your productivity and creativity.
It is being used by students, entrepreneurs, and executives to increase their productivity and to help them achieve more during their day. Like all powerful medications, it’s important to use Modafinil safely and responsibly, but a recent survey discovered that 40% of participants reported that their Modafinil efficacy had decreased over time.
There are a few possible explanations for why this may be happening - we'll explore the top 5 mostly likely reasons why Modafinil may have stopped working for you.
Firstly, let's understand what Modafinil is...
Modafinil is a popular study drug. It works by promoting wakefulness and boosting dopamine concentrations in the brain. The effects of Modafinil can be compared to caffeine but last much longer and work better for inducing states of focus & concentration.
Modafinil is usually a prescription medication, used primarily for conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy. It’s very similar to other drugs used for this, like Adderall and Dexedrine, but comes with far fewer side effects.
Off-label use is becoming increasingly popular in developed countries. It’s used as a general productivity enhancer and to help people cope with conditions like shift work sleep disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even depression. Let's be honest, it is probably how you got yours and why you're here! And we're here to help.
While the exact mechanisms of how Modafinil works are not yet fully understood, we do know that it increases dopamine concentrations in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation, and focus. By increasing dopamine levels, Modafinil is able to improve wakefulness, concentration, and general motivation.
Modafinil is generally considered safe, with few side effects and a low risk of addiction.
Why isn't Modafinil working for me?
If you’re like most people, you probably think that if a medication isn’t working, it must be because you need a higher dose. Or maybe you think that the drug just needs more time to start working. But what if the problem is actually with the medication itself?
That’s what many Modafinil users are starting to realise. Modafinil is a popular medication used to treat narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. It’s also used off-label as a cognitive enhancer. But some users are finding that their Modafinil isn’t working as well as it used to.
There could be a number of reasons for this so let's go through 5 mistakes that people commonly make when taking Modafinil.
1. Check the quality of your stock
When was it manufactured? When does it expire? What batch number is it? Could the tablets have been exposed to extreme temperatures prior to you receiving them? Where did you purchase your Modafinil from?
These are all questions that you need to ask yourself when it comes to making a judgement on whether it could be the quality of your Modafinil that is the reason that it isn't working for you.
You might have received low-potency Modafinil from wherever you purchased it, whether because of manufacturing quality or because the drug was ineffective. This is more typical than you'd think and is one of our reasons for advising that you buy your Modafinil from a reliable source.
We recommend that you order from one of the vendors that we've reviewed (which we regularly order from too!). We continue to monitor their services to ensure that their customers are getting the best service and products available.
Unfortunately, since Modafinil is not strictly regulated, there are a significant amount of fraudulent websites and enterprises operating in the business. Companies frequently deliver outdated or inactive Modafinil pills because their trying to get rid of their old stock or simply trying to make more money...
2. Is your dosage sufficient?
The usual dose of Modafinil is 200 mg. Some online vendors, on the other hand, offer to sell tablets as low as 50 mg. Many individuals order these 50 mg tablets believing they are receiving the standard dose — and yet it has no effect on them.
Even the 200 mg dose may be insufficient in some cases.
If you were to consider your body to be bathtub full of water. When you take a medicine or supplement, it is diluted into this bathtub. If the bathtub is extremely small, there will be far higher concentrations of the medicine in the water. In contrast, if the bathtub is large, its concentration will be a lot lower — resulting in an ineffective dose.
Have a look at the tablets that you're taking - what did you actually receive from your supplier?
If you've ordered tablets that only contain 50 mg to 100 mg of Modafinil, and you're an average build person, then you'll likely need to up the dosage.
From our own personal experience, as well as feedback that we've received from the community over the years from being in this industry, you might find an improvement in the effects when you switch from Modafinil to Armodafinil.
The most commonly known Armodafinil products are Waklert and Artvigil (manufactured by Sun Pharma and HAB Pharma respectively).
Overall, when focusing on your dosages, aim for around 200 mg of Modafinil and 150 mg of Armodafinil.
3. Understanding your genetic makeup
Have you ever noticed how some people are more or less easily affected by things like caffeine, high energy drinks or even alcohol? Alternatively, there are people that just seem to be unaffected by it, or at least they need to consume a lot of it before they start to feel the effects.
This effect is likely being caused by the persons specific genetic polymorphisms, which is impacting the way their body processes the different things that they consume.
It’s estimated that there are over 10 million different genetic polymorphisms in the human population. That’s a lot of variation! And this variation can have a big impact on our health.
For example, some genetic polymorphisms affect the way we metabolise drugs in the liver. This can mean that a drug that is normally safe for most people could be very dangerous for someone with a particular genetic polymorphism.
Other polymorphisms can cause us to metabolise drugs faster (thus inactivating them quickly), which can make them less effective. And still others can cause adverse reactions or side effects that wouldn’t otherwise occur.
So it’s important to be aware of your own genetic makeup and how it might affect your health. If you have a family history of certain conditions, or if you’re taking any medications, it’s worth getting tested for genetic polymorphisms that could impact your health.
So what can you do?
Well, we're not able to change our genetics, but we can combine Modafinil with other products that will slow down your metabolism.
Some plant extracts have been shown to change the way our liver metabolises Modafinil, potentially even increasing its effects. However, it should be noted that trying this method is done at your own risk. Take it slow and monitor your symptoms closely - your health is your biggest asset.
4. Is the Modafinil being affected by other things that you're taking?
If you're taking Modafinil and not seeing the results you want, it could be because of interactions with other foods or supplements.
Some chemicals may bind to prescription medicines like Modafinil and prevent them from being absorbed into the body.
The bioavailability of Modafinil is only 40-65% on its own. Anything that decreases the bioavailability of Modafinil will have an impact on how the drug affects the body.
Many individuals take their pills first thing in the morning, all at the same time. As they dissolve in the stomach, they may be neutralised before they have a chance of being absorbed.
To avoid this, take Modafinil at least an hour before or after other supplements. This will give the Modafinil time to be absorbed into your system before it's affected by anything else.
5. You're a long time user of Modafinil and it has stopped working for you?
For long-term users of Modafinil, tolerance is a potential issue. Although there is some disagreement among experts as to whether or not this is a real phenomenon, it is something that many users report experiencing, ourselves included.
Tolerance can occur with any drug, and it basically means that the body becomes less responsive to the drug over time. So, if you are taking Modafinil on a regular basis and find that it is no longer working as well as it did when you first started using it, tolerance may be the culprit.
If you think you may be experiencing tolerance, there are a few things you can do. First, try taking a break from Modafinil for a week or two. This will give your body a chance to reset and may help the drug work better when you start taking it again.
If that doesn’t help, you can try increasing your dosage.
Finally, if nothing else seems to be working, you may need to find an alternative to Modafinil.
There are other drugs available that can help with narcolepsy or just general productivity include Armodafinil, Ritalin, or Adderall.
Where to buy Modafinil
While Modafinil can be purchased from your local pharmacy with a valid prescription, it can also be purchased online easily enough without a prescription.
That being said, it isn't obvious to know where to purchase from and which vendor you can trust. This is why we've prepared some detailed vendor reviews to help you find a supplier that best suits your needs based on how much you're looking to spend and what country you live in.
Stay productive and healthy!