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Modafinil is an agent that stimulates the secretion of neurotransmitters responsible for concentration and a better combination of facts. Simply put, it’s the kind of brain ‘doping’ that drug enthusiasts say works more efficiently. Today, all over the world, even healthy people use it on a huge scale. From pilots to Barack Obama. At what cost, we do not know yet.
Modafinili – what is it?
Modafinil is the name of a chemical found in preparations such as Provigil, Modiodal and Modasomil. The indication for use of the drug is narcolepsy, a disease caused by protein deficiency, the symptom of which is excessive sleepiness. Until 2013, modafinil could also be purchased in Poland in the form of a drug called Vigil. The substance is available legally in dozens of European countries, but it is also sold on the so-called the black market.
- Learn more about how the brain works
When was modafinil started?
The military first became interested in modafinil, which recognized it as a safe substitute for amphetamine. Interestingly, the aforementioned drug was once used in extreme situations of sleep deprivation, in which the key factor for the success of the operation was the long activity of soldiers and keeping their attention. Modafinil is used, among others, by The Foreign Legion during covert operations, requiring the participants to laboriously prepare and wait a long time for the order.
How does Modafinil work?
Modafinil is a stimulant substance. Both sick and healthy people, after taking a preparation containing it, may not sleep up to 70 hours – and they do not feel tiredness and intellectual weakness. What’s more, after this time, they do not have to get enough sleep. Compared to known stimulants, the preparation is said to not be addictive – which is why the interest in modafinil is so high in people who want to maintain full concentration for many hours.
Barack Obama has been taking modafinil on business trips as the substance reduces jet lag-induced fatigue. Modafinil works for up to 12 hours, so taking one serving in the morning provides energy for the whole day and at the same time does not suppress the appetite like some stimulants. The bioavailability of the substance ranges from 40 to 65% and the highest concentration is reached after about 2 or 3 hours.
- Check what are the symptoms of intoxication with psychostimulants
Taking modafinil in the evening makes it almost impossible to fall asleep. For this reason, it is often used by politicians, military or students who want to spend the whole night in top gear, especially in the case of various crisis situations. The fMRL study, i.e. functional magnetic resonance, showed that the use of the substance has a positive effect on neuronal communication in the cerebral cortex and in the cerebellum in healthy, elderly people.
The use of the drug by people without sleep deficiency has a positive effect on cognition. There is a noticeable improvement in working spatial memory, more efficient planning and decision making. Moreover, the perceived pleasure of performing daily activities also increases. Modafinil causes that people taking it have more energy, feel less tired, have greater motivation and even better sports condition.
The mechanism of action of modafinil
Modafinil inhibits the activity of the dopamine transporter and thus causes more of this substance to go to the synaptic clefts. As a result, dopamine becomes more active. The inhibition of the dopamine transporter by the substance in question follows the same course as in the case of cocaine. Modafinil also affects the histamine systems and periodins, so it regulates the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.
Modafinil lowers the extracellular concentration of GABA as it inhibits its ejection. At the same time, it makes the action of glutamate stronger. This makes the central nervous system more active and neuroplasticity more efficient. Modafinil has no significant effect on increasing serotonin levels, although animal studies have shown that there is an interaction.
The use of modafil in medicine
- Narcolepsy
It is a disease entity whose symptom is sleep disturbance. Both women and men suffer from it, although in Poland there are sporadic cases. The first symptoms of narcolepsy appear between the ages of 15 and 20, especially during puberty. The causes of the disease are still not fully understood, but it is argued that the reason is a mutation in the gene encoding the HLA antigen.
Symptoms of the disease are excessive daytime sleepiness – this is the first and sometimes the only harbinger of the disease. Patients with narcolepsy can fall asleep within 5 minutes, also in unusual situations, e.g. while driving a car or during a conversation. The drowsiness, although it subsides after a short nap, worsens over time. Symptoms of the disease are also a decrease in muscle tone, sleep hallucinations and sleep paralysis.
- ADHD
It is a hyperkinetic syndrome, which is a behavior and emotional disorder that occurs in children and adolescents. People with ADHD have a problem with maintaining social norms and these are mostly boys. This may be due to the genetic background and lower dopamine activity in the cortical and mesolimbic structures. Hypoxia during childbirth and peri-pregnancy injuries are also a risk factor for the disease.
The symptoms of ADHD include being hyperactive, impulsive, and trouble concentrating, but the symptoms may be worse depending on the age of the child. The use of a substance like modafinil is sometimes safer for people taking it, because it works more safely than methylphenidate, but it has not been officially recognized by the FDA because it is dermatologically toxic.
- Addiction therapy
Thanks to its stimulating properties, modafinil is used in cocaine and methamphetamine addiction treatments. The substance has a beneficial effect on well-being. In addition, it supports the recovery process after surgery and in the treatment of certain types of depression. It also reduces sleepiness in myotonic dystrophy. The spectrum of modafinil’s effects is wide, so the effects caused by the substances are unique.
Is taking modafinil safe for your health?
The substance does not work like a drug, so it does not cause euphoria such as cocaine or amphetamines. Unlike other stimulants, it has a low risk of addiction and works quickly. People with narcolepsy who took 330 mg of the substance for 16 weeks had no side effects. However, modafinil is still banned, e.g. an athlete whose blood is found to be disqualified.
In the foreign press you can find publications describing the action of the substance. Including scientists from the Medical University of South Carolina tested the substance for 25 years and found that patients taking it did not develop symptoms of addiction and did not increase tolerance to the drug. In 2015, Harvard scientists published the results of a meta-analysis of modafiinil and proved that it improves memory and learning outcomes.
The most common side effects caused by the drug are headaches, occurring in more than 1 in 10 people using it. In some cases, side effects will be loss of appetite, insomnia, severe skin conditions, palpitations, increased blood pressure, hyperactivity, nervousness, dizziness, and even psychosis. According to some experts, modafinil can cause as many side effects as many prescription drugs.
However, it should not be forgotten that the use of modafinil reduces sleep – and this alone can have many negative health consequences. Healthy sleep is one of the most important pillars of health for both humans and animals. During sleep, the body regenerates on a physical and mental level – the cerebral cortex then rests from the excess of stimuli. Sleepless nights cause irritability, nervousness and problems with concentration.
What might be the consequences of an overdose of neurostimulants?
In 2005-2011, research on neurostimulants was carried out in Great Britain. It turned out that as a result, the number of patients complaining about the negative consequences caused by these drugs increased threefold. The most common complaints were sleep disturbances, chronic migraines, blood pressure disorders and psychotic states.
How to buy modafinil?
Modafinil is not available in Poland, but only pharmacies can distribute it. The substance can be purchased on the so-called the black market, but buying from such a source is risky, as you are not sure about the contents of the preparation. In some cases, however, the doctor may prescribe modafinil to the patient, but then it will be necessary to import the substance from overseas.
Buying a substance in a foreign online pharmacy is rather risky. When the drug was still available in Poland, the package containing 30 tablets cost PLN 1600. However, distribution was stopped when modafinil was not included in the list of reimbursed drugs. People suffering from narcolepsy or ADHD instead use it, among others from methylphenidate.