Off-Label Uses of the “Smart Drug” Modafinil for Students and Entrepreneurs
Modafinil, which is marketed as Provigil in the U.S., is an FDA-approved prescription medication used to promote wakefulness in people suffering from narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder. Since being approved by the FDA in 1998, off-label use of the medication has skyrocketed.
Thanks to its ability to improve focus and productivity, fight fatigue, and even enhance mood and memory, students use Modafinil to study better and professionals use it for productivity. Today, Modafinil is one of the most popular nootropics, or “smart drugs,” in existence.
Entrepreneurs enjoy its cognitive-enhancing benefits. You can find it being used by lobbyists on K Street in Washington, D.C., by coders and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, and by traders on Wall Street.
As far back as 2008, Michael Arrington, the founder of tech blog TechCrunch, called it “the entrepreneur’s drug of choice.”
So What is Modafinil?
Though Modafinil is a eugeroic, a class of wakefulness-promoting drugs, it is used off-label as a smart drug or nootropic. A nootropic is a drug or supplement that may improve cognitive function, specifically in the areas of focus, memory, and motivation.
Though the exact mode of action of Modafinil is unknown, it is thought to act on the hypocretin-orexin system in the hypothalamus, enhancing chemicals and neurotransmitters in the brain like GABA, dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, and histamine.
Its effects are similar to amphetamines like Ritalin or Adderall, but its chemistry and mode of action are unique; it does not result in the same “high” and crash cycle; and does not cause the same the anxiety and nervousness of traditional stimulants.
The important thing to remember is that Modafinil promotes wakefulness rather than stimulation. Many users report that it doesn’t speed the mind up as much as it clears the mind of distractions. You can purchase Modafinil online as long as you have a valid prescription for it.
Modafinil comes in pill form and is taken orally. The effects of a typical 100 to 200-milligram dose lasts 6 to 8 hours.
Off-Label Uses of Modafinil for Students and Entrepreneurs
– Focus
The primary benefit of Modafinil for students and entrepreneurs is that it provides a natural sense of focus without the jitters that come with stimulants. Users report an increased feeling of faculty and an increased ability to retrieve information. Everything else besides what they are focusing on fades away. Noises become less distracting.
For entrepreneurs, this may mean the ability to focus during an all-night strategy session or knock an important presentation out of the park. For students, Modafinil may make it easier to focus on complicated material for long periods of time, such as during study sessions or writing a thesis paper.
– Productivity
With increased focus comes increased productivity. Modafinil users report being able to get far more work done because they are less likely to become frustrated when they run into obstacles. Rather than giving in to the temptation to “just finish it already” so they can go to bed or move onto other important work, Modafinil users say it is easier to roll up their sleeves and work through the problem.
– Reduced Fatigue
Another aspect of Modafinil that is tied to its propensity to increase focus and productivity is its ability to fight fatigue. This is, after all, what the medicine was designed to do. Students in competitive programs and entrepreneurs in the cutthroat business world report that Modafinil gives them an edge over the competition by allowing them to work better for longer hours.
Modafinil is so good at reducing fatigue that in 2012 it became the only drug approved by the U.S. Air Force as a “go pill” for pilots’ fatigue management. It is also used by Canadian astronauts on long-term missions aboard the International Space Station.
– Memory
A clinical trial in Germany concluded that Modafinil slightly improved memory. It was particularly effective in improving short-term verbal memory span in people who were lacking sleep. Students and entrepreneurs that need to be sharp and prepared to answer complicated questions during interviews or presentations may find Modafinil useful, especially if they’re lacking sleep.
– Enhanced Mood
Even though entrepreneurs and students are not taking Modafinil off-label to improve their mood, many users do report a general feeling of uplift while using Modafinil.
– Decision Making
Another area of study currently underway is how Modafinil could improve decision making. Although additional research is needed, it is believed that Modafinil can reduce “impulse response,” also known as bad decision making.
Risks of Modafinil Use
Most common side effects of Modafinil include headache (1/3 of users) and nausea (11 percent of users), yet some side effects can be more severe.
Although rare, life-threatening rashes have occurred as a result of Modafinil use, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DRESS). Your healthcare provider will be able to tell you whether or not you are at an elevated risk of these dangers.
Despite researchers at Harvard and Oxford universities suggesting that Modafinil was “the world’s first safe smart drug,” many users have shared anecdotal reports of the negative effects when ceasing use, such as inability to focus, anxiety and irritableness, all of which are the hallmark signs of dependence and withdrawal.
Is Modafinil Right for You?
Any conversation about using or not using Modafinil needs to begin with your healthcare provider. Though generally considered safe, Modafinil may be dangerous to use for a small number of people with certain predispositions.