Modafinil vs Adderall: What’s the difference? | Modafinia

Modafinil and Adderall are two prescription drugs used to treat narcolepsy and other sleep problems. Narcolepsy is a long-term sleep disease that disrupts the brain’s capacity to regulate sleep and waking cycles. It might result in often disrupted night-time sleep and, as a result, increased daytime tiredness. Narcolepsy is thought to affect up to 200,000 persons in the United States. Narcolepsy can impact daily activities, and the safety of others since a person with narcolepsy may be abnormally exhausted when driving or dealing with everyday tasks.

Patients with extreme drowsiness due to shift work sleep disorder or obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome may be administered Modafinil to help them stay awake. In comparison, Adderall is also used for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Modafinil and Adderall are both licensed to treat narcolepsy, but they are not the same sort of medication, as we shall explain.

What is Modafinil?

Modafinil is a prescription drug that improves alertness. It was created in France throughout the 1980s and 1990s before being authorised in the United States in 1998 under the brand name Modafinil.

It is prescribed to people suffering from sleep disorders to keep them from being too tired during the day. Modafinil has an on-label usage for people who have been diagnosed with

• Narcolepsy
• Shift work sleep disorder
• Obstructive sleep apnea

It’s also been proved to be helpful as a treatment for various illnesses in recent years; therefore, it’s also occasionally used for off-label purposes such as:

• Major depressive disorder
• Treatment for addictions issues
• ADHD

Modafinil is a schedule IV controlled substance.

Schedule IV restricted chemicals, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, have a minimal risk of addiction and abuse.

What is Adderall?

Adderall (or Adderall XR) is a brand name for a stimulant mixture of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It is a stimulator and a prescription medicine used to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Adderall is a schedule II controlled substance.

This implies that, unlike Modafinil, which is classified as a schedule IV controlled drug, Adderall has a significant risk of addiction and abuse. Adderall was authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996 for the treatment of

(ADHD).

This medicine is commonly used as a study drug since it is supposed to increase impulsivity, hyperactivity, and attention span. Adderall, a stimulant medicine, can help 70% of adults and 70% to 80% of children with ADHD symptoms.

Difference between Modafinil and Adderall

Both Modafinil and Adderall have stimulant properties. However, the structural changes between them result in considerable variances in their addiction potential and risk of adverse effects.

• Although Modafinil is not classified as a stimulant, both Adderall and Modafinil exhibit stimulant-like effects.
• Modafinil helps you stay awake and make better decisions, but it does not make you smarter.
• Adderall is also far more likely than Modafinil to develop addiction, dependency, and withdrawal symptoms when stopped, and there have been plenty of other adverse effects, all while failing to improve IQ.
• Both medicines have the potential to harm the heart and should not be used with alcohol.
• Researchers examined Adderall vs Modafinil on key cognitive components in a study with 41 individuals. They discovered that they were equally effective in boosting mood, reducing tiredness, and boosting cognitive function. They determined that Modafinil was the safer of the two options since it has a higher safety profile.
• Researchers discovered that Adderall and Modafinil were equally effective in improving cognitive performance in sleep-deprived people. They discovered that while Adderall lasted longer than Modafinil, it also affected sleep. Modafinil was shown to have fewer adverse effects.
• Both Modafinil and Adderall have been shown to help people lose weight. Adderall appears to be particularly successful in this regard. Still, because Modafinil has fewer side effects and a reduced risk of addiction, experts believe it can be a better choice for this purpose.

Modafinil vs Adderall: Side effects

• Although Modafinil can considerably raise heart rate and blood pressure and should not be used by persons who have a history of specific heart or heart valve issues, the side effects are typically modest compared to those observed with Adderall (such as mitral valve prolapse or left ventricular hypertrophy). Over a third of those who use modafinil experience headache as a side effect, with nausea coming in second (11 per cent of people taking Modafinil). Other adverse effects reported by fewer than 10% of clinical trial participants included rhinitis, uneasiness and anxiety, back discomfort, sleeplessness, and gastrointestinal symptoms (such as diarrhoea and indigestion). The majority of responses are most likely allergy-related.
• Adderall has a greater spectrum of negative effects; some persons will be more affected by particular side effects than others. Loss of appetite (36 per cent), dry mouth (35 per cent), short-term blood pressure increases (up to 35 per cent), sleeplessness (up to 27 per cent), headache (up to 26 per cent), and stomach discomfort are the most prevalent adverse effects. Sexual dysfunction, a slowed rate of development in youngsters, a rapid heart rate, and anxiousness are all typical complaints.
• Regardless of the dosage, some people are highly sensitive to stimulants and develop confusing brain processes. Hearing voices, getting suspicious for no reason, or becoming manic have all been described as psychologically adverse effects of Adderall. Adderall can also increase symptoms in persons who already have a psychotic diagnosis or bipolar disorder. Strokes and myocardial infarctions have been associated with the use of Adderall.
• People with glaucoma, an overactive thyroid, heart disease, mild to extreme blood pressure, or a history of drug or alcohol addiction should avoid using it. One of the most serious issues with Adderall is that it may lead to dependency and tolerance, as well as misuse. If you stop taking Adderall all of a sudden, you can experience withdrawal symptoms (symptoms include depression, extreme tiredness and sleep disturbances).
• Modafinil is classified as a Schedule IV controlled medication, whereas Adderall is classified as a Schedule controlled medication, meaning that it has a higher risk of misuse and dependency.

Are Modafinil vs Adderall the same?

Although both Modafinil and Adderall are used to treat narcolepsy, they are not the same. The mechanism of Modafinil is unknown, whereas Adderall is known to function in the central nervous system. Adderall is more addictive than Modafinil and has a larger potential for abuse.

Modafinil Vs Adderall as a study drug- Which is safer?

According to a comprehensive analysis of research, the “smart drug” modafinil does work for certain people, boosting their performance on long and complicated activities while also improving decision-making and planning skills.

Following a thorough evaluation of the medicine, experts at Harvard and Oxford universities concluded that modafinil is the world’s first safe “smart drug.” They came to the conclusion that the medicine, which is intended for narcolepsy but is increasingly being taken by healthy individuals without a prescription, might improve decision-making, problem-solving, and potentially even make people think more creatively.

On the other hand, over 100,000 people sought treatment for Adderall or Adderall-related addiction in 2016. There have been overdoses. Furthermore, the medicine may react with other drugs, resulting in hazardous health consequences making Modafinil the best and safest study drug available.

Let’s have a quick look at its Benefits 

What is the best option for you?

To be truthful, we prefer Modafinil over Adderall.

The following are the key reasons:

• Modafinil and Adderall have many of the same cognitive effects. They’re nearly equal in that regard.
• Modafinil has substantially fewer negative impacts, according to our experience. Research quotes this claim.
• Modafinil doesn’t feel as powerful as Adderall, which is positive. Modafinil, rather than giving you a “high,” helps you feel calm and concentrated, allowing you to get things done.
• Modafinil is far easier to obtain than Adderall, and it is a lot easier to obtain Modafinil online. It’s also usually less expensive.