What is Adrafinil?
Nootropics are drugs that act as brain stimulants to improve your cognitive abilities and keep you energized throughout the day. Adrafinil is a Eugeroic drug type which is also classified under the category of nootropic as well as a stimulant for the brain.
While the primary use for Adrafinil has been majorly for treating sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep apnea and regulating sleep patterns, sometimes you would also find its usage by students and professionals to have more energy and better your cognitive capabilities.
Some of the secondary uses of Adrafinil include mood improvement, treatment of stress, anxiety, depression, etc. Chemically speaking, Adrafinil is a prodrug for Modafinil which means that it gets metabolized into Modafinil upon consumption which then interacts with the dopamine receptors in the brain and regulates the sleep disorders and patterns.
Adrafinil’s efficacy in treating sleep disorders in attributed to the action of the nootropic of activating certain receptors that would respond to dopamine and norepinephrine and also increase the release of histamine, glutamate. This leads to improvement in the excitement related activity in the central nervous system which in turn makes you alert, sharp, focused and active.
How to use Adrafinil?
Adrafinil is the generic version of the branded drug for Olmifon. However, the sale for Olmifon has now been discontinued. Hence when you purchase Adrafinil, it is very important to check the source and purchase only from a GMP certified product. The powder, if found tasteless, should be immediately discarded since the product is not authentic Adrafinil.
The correct way to consume Adrafinil is by a stir in the dosage of Adrafinil powder in a hot cup of water. The potion would become clear once the entire powder has dissolved in water. In case you have purchased capsules, you can consume that directly.
Also, due to the possibility of your body developing tolerance to Adrafinil over a period, the best way to take Adrafinil is in cycles. Long-term usage is not recommended for any disorder. Typically you should give yourself a gap of a week, if you have completed a course of the week for the nootropic Adrafinil.
Adrafinil Benefits
Being a nootropic with the functions of the Eugeroic drug as well as a brain supplement, the benefits of Adrafinil are varied. Being a prodrug for Modafinil, the benefits of Modafinil have been carried in the benefits of the nootropic Adrafinil as well. You can consume Adrafinil, if you require your sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea to be treated or if you want to improve your alertness levels or wakefulness during the daytime.
Adrafinil is quite efficient in increasing your energy levels along with stamina due to its nature of being a stimulant. Another major benefit of the drug Adrafinil is that due to the improvement in sleep disorders, your productivity levels are bound to get better.
The interaction of Adrafinil with the dopamine and histamine receptors also ensures that when you take Adrafinil, the cognitive abilities such as memory recalling ability, learning ability also gets improved.
Some studies have even analyzed the result of the action of Adrafinil on the central nervous system that they have recommended the usage of Adrafinil for the treatment of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
How does Adrafinil works?
Adrafinil is a Eugeroic drug which is also classified as a brain stimulant. Specially being a central nervous system related drug, the mechanism of action is considered to affect the adrenergic systems as well as the hormone systems. Hence the levels of dopamine, histamine, adrenaline, etc. re increased when you take Adrafinil. The drug Adrafinil prevents the breakdown of dopamine in the system to sustain the same mood and happiness levels.
This is done by Adrafinil interacting with the neurotransmitters and active neurons in hypothalamus and amygdala, to increase the output levels of histamine, dopamine, glutamate, hypocretin, orexin, etc. However, unlike other stimulates it does not directly increase the level of dopamine, but it blocks the neural receptors who remove dopamine, histamine from your system.
When the adrenaline levels are increased, it brings about the focus and concentration in your work. The neurotransmitter hypocretin linked to wakefulness is also affected by the action of Adrafinil.
The increase in hormone levels such as dopamine, histamine gives you a high energy, better mood, etc.
How to take Adrafinil?
Adrafinil as a drug or nootropic is considered to be one of the less potent ones. Being a prodrug of Modafinil, its efficiency is lesser than Modafinil and is taken in higher dosages.
600-1200mg per day is said to be the recommended or standard dosage for treating narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and other related sleep disorders. For narcolepsy, the drug Adrafinil is to be taken twice a day or once upon waking depending on the dosage.
It is to be noted that the supplement Adrafinil should not be taken during afternoon and evening as it can affect your sleep pattern.
Recommended Adrafinil Dosage
Adrafinil being a brain stimulant which is a prodrug for Modafinil is considered to be less potent. But, at the end of the day, it is still a strong and powerful nootropic. The recommended dosage is to take 150mg to 300mg depending on your requirement and capacity. Also, Adrafinil needs to be taken in cycles to avoid the body developing tolerance against the nootropic.
The recommended dosage can vary anywhere between 300-1200mg however you should take it as less as possible such as three times a week and try not to exceed five months as there are possible side effects such as a headache, dizziness and even liver damage.
Adrafinil First Time or Starting Dose
Adrafinil is a powerful nootropic and has strong interactions with the neurotransmitters when being regularly consumed. When you begin taking the drug Adrafinil for the first time, you must ensure that you follow the recommended dosage and also the dosage protocol stringently. In case you are just beginning the regime, starting with a small dosage and allowing your body to adjust and then increasing the dosage would be the correct dosage protocol.
This is to ensure that your body chemistry and the composition of nootropic Adrafinil do not affect each other adversely.
Adrafinil Capsule v/s Powder
The drug Adrafinil comes in two forms, namely powder or capsule. Since the powder is water soluble, you can mix it in a cup of hot water and consume it. The capsule will be a little cheaper and can be consumed directly.
Though it is easier to measure and control the dosage when you take the nootropic Adrafinil in the powder form, you can also try the capsule form if you have access to a milligram scale when you take the drug. You would tend to prefer the capsule form as the bitterness of the drug is masked better than when you take Adrafinil in the powder.
Pros and Cons of Adrafinil
The stimulant Adrafinil is the prodrug of Modafinil. This means that for Adrafinil to be active to in your bloodstream, the drug needs to be first metabolized in the liver to Modafinil. This is known to reduce the efficiency of the drug and requires you to use higher dosages for the desired result.
However, the drug Adrafinil is a very strong and powerful nootropic and is used for the treatment of several sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea, etc. which is typical for a Eugeroic drug. However, it also has a stimulant like application as it is also found to be very useful for improving alertness, focus, concentration and cognitive enhancement as well.
The biggest disadvantage in the case of Adrafinil is that when taken in dosages higher than the recommended dosage and cycle, there are some cases of liver damage due to the strain on the liver to metabolize Adrafinil into Modafinil continuously.
Also, when you take Adrafinil or Modafinil, you should always opt for physical contraceptives as hormonal contraceptives tend to lose their power when Adrafinil is in your system.
Adrafinil Alternatives
Since Adrafinil as a Eugeroic drug or a stimulant has a lot of side effects and is also considered to be less potent when compared to other stimulants; you can consider some Adrafinil alternatives before deciding on the right drug for yourself.
Phenylpiracetam and Modafinil are the most commonly used Adrafinil alternatives. They both provide the same cognitive enhancement benefits along with solutions for your sleep related disorders. However Modafinil is less easily accessible as its prescription is mandatory. Phenylpiracetam is hence more popular as an Adrafinil alternative as it gives you an energy boost without caffeine and is easily accessible also. There are no side effects like nervousness, restlessness when you take Phenylpiracetam.
Adrafinil Compared to Modafinil
Both Modafinil and Adrafinil are nootropic or wonder drugs used to treat sleep disorders and improve cognitive functions. Even though they are typically Eugeroic drugs, they are quite popular as brain stimulants. Adrafinil is the prodrug of Modafinil hence their composition and mechanism of action are the same as each other.
Adrafinil is metabolized into Modafinil by the liver once you have consumed Adrafinil. Once it has been metabolized, the drug Adrafinil gets dissolved into the bloodstream and interacts with the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system to increase the levels of dopamine, histamine, etc. in your systems.
Compared to Modafinil, Adrafinil is considered less potent since only a small portion of Adrafinil is converted into the active Modafinil upon consumption hence you would have to take higher dosages of Adrafinil than when compared to Modafinil.
Modafinil does not have the risk of liver damage also as there is metabolism involved in the process of Modafinil interacting with the neurotransmitters in the brain.
However, if you are considering costs, you should note that a month supply of Modafinil would cost 300$ while that of Adrafinil would cost somewhere between 30$ and 120$ depending on the dosage.
Buy Adrafinil Online
Once you have checked out the drug Adrafinil thoroughly, you can proceed with deciding the dosage for you and buying the nootropic. Since the branded version Olmifon has been discontinued there are lot more fake products available now. It is important to check the source before you make the purchase of Adrafinil drug. If you are looking for cheap and safe options, you can choose to buy the drug online.
When you make the purchase, make sure to get a GMP-certified product. You can buy 10gms to 20gms packet of Adrafinil powder, and this will cost around $40 – 80$. If the price is too less, it is highly possible that the source and products are not credible.
Some of the trusted sources are Amazon, nootriment, etc.
Closing Thoughts
When you look at possible drugs for treating sleeping disorders as well as getting some cognitive benefits, Adrafinil is one of the drugs that will appear on top of the list. It has been reported to be effective in treating narcolepsy, sleep apnea, lack of focus and attention from various sources.
However, if not taken in proper dosages and continued for a longer period there are chances of suffering from liver damage as the drug Adrafinil needs to be metabolized into Modafinil before it can start its interaction with the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Also, it is also efficient or potent when compared to its peers in nootropic.
Hence, in case you have the option of choice, it is better to go with Modafinil. In either case, you should consult a physician before deciding on the regime and optimum dosages.
