Modvigil vs. Artvigil? What Are Canada's Best Modafinil Alternatives?

FEATURE
Manufacturer
Generic Name
Compound Strength
Half-Life
Onset Of Action
Peak Effects Duration
Intensity Of Effects
Best For
Common Usage
Pricing
Availability
Tolerance
Regulatory Status
Side Effects

MODVIGIL
HAB Pharma
Modafinil
100-200 MG
Approximately 12-15 hours
30 -60 minutes
6-8 hours
Mild to Moderate
Light use
Beginners
Cheaper/ Budget Friendly
Online pharmacies
Low to moderate
Schedule F
Headache, insomnia

ARTVIGIL
Sun Pharma
Armodafinil
150 MG
Approx. 15 hours
60 minutes
8-10 hours
Comparatively Stronger
High-performers
Advanced Users
Comparatively more expensive
Online pharmacies
Low
Schedule F
Headache, irritability

Introduction

Of late, cognitive enhancers are gaining popularity among Canadians, with quarterly dispensing for CEs increasing by 17% within the past four years. While introduced primarily to treat Alzheimer’s , CEs are being increasingly used by younger people to increase alertness and improve focus.

Termed nootropics or smart drugs by researchers, the aim of CEs is to amplify or extend the core capacity of the mind by improving the internal and external processing systems.

Modafinil (Modvigil) and Armodafinil (Artvigil) are two popular nootropics that have been medically approved in Canada to treat narcolepsy and sleep apnoea but that are greatly in demand by students, shift workers, and people in high-stress jobs to stay awake and increase work efficiency, especially planning and working memory of the individual.

It is important to decode the intrinsic working mechanism of the two medications to understand the one best suited for your needs.

Decoding Modvigil

Modvigil is the generic counterpart of Modafinil that works on the hippocampal neurons and suppresses their autophagy and apoptosis to improve learning and memory.

Modvigil works on alertness, focus, and attention in sleep-deprived individuals, reduces error rates, and enhances task enjoyment.

When used on healthy individuals, modafinil, the active ingredient of Modvigil, significantly reduced error rates in the long-delay condition of the visuospatial task and in the manipulation conditions while influencing maintenance and manipulation processes in difficult and monotonous working memory tasks. Simply put, it reduces mistakes in tasks involving “long-delay” or complex thinking along with helping with focus during repetitive or boring work making it easier to remember and manage information.

Understanding Artvigil

Artvigil or Armodafinil is a newer, modified version of Modafinil that can be safely described as its R and longer-lasting isomer.

If we analyze the structure of Modafinil, it is composed of two enantiomers, the S-enantiomer with the shorter half-life contributes to the initial effects of Modafinil and helps in a quick boost of focus with mental clarity. The R-Enantiomer with the longer half-life has a stronger impact on wakefulness and focus.

Artvigil or Armodafinil is a newer, modified version of Modafinil that can be safely described as its R and longer-lasting isomer.

Artvigil is the generic version of Armodafinil, the R-enantiomer of Modafinil that maintains higher plasma concentrations than Modafinil and helps improve memory deficits along with exerting neuroprotective effects.

In-vitro studies have shown that the medication stimulates the orexin neurons in the hypothalamus to enhance wakefulness and vigilance.

Orexin, or hypocretin, is a neuropeptide in the hypothalamus regulating sustained attention and stabilizing working memory that helps you hold and manipulate information over short periods. Further, it supports decision-making, planning, and multitasking by boosting communication between the basal forebrain, ventral tegmental area, and tuberomammillary nucleus—key areas influencing arousal, memory, and learning.

What does Research state

Data from randomized studies in healthy adult subjects receiving single doses of Armodafinil ( Arvigil ) or Modafinil ( Modvigil ) have demonstrated that despite their similar half-lives, plasma administration are higher late in the day than Modafinil resulting in improved wakefulness throughout the day as compared to Modafinil.

While Armodafinil has shown a comparable efficacy to Modafinil in treating maintaining wakefulness, it is 1.33 times more potent than Modafinil and through use of only the R-enantiomer reduces the metabolic workload on the liver and kidneys- summing up by providing similar or better wakefulness benefits while simultaneously lessening the burden on the system.

Even then, the odds tilt slightly in favor of Modafinil as it starts working faster than Modafinil and has a slightly better efficacy rate than Armodafinil because of its shorter half-life. Comparative studies have demonstrated a 74.29% responder rate with Modafinil as compared to a 72.12% r.r with Armodafinil. Most importantly, Modafinil’s shorter half-life results in the effects wearing off quicker and fewer side effects arising from prolonged wakefulness, like jitteriness and impending insomnia.

So Which among Armodafinil or Modafinil is better

To sum it up, Modvigil is more suited for novice users, individuals requiring wakefulness for shorter durations or people sensitive to the after-effects of prolonged stimulation. The short-lasting effects make it a good option for those with short bursts of productivity or those not looking for prolonged stimulation.

Artvigil is a preferable option for people needing to stay alert and awake for prolonged periods like shift-workers, people working rotating or night-shifts or those experiencing energy-drops in the daytime even with adequate sleep as it can provide consistent long-lasting wakefulness.

Conclusion

While the difference of an enantiomer is the primary differentiating point, the secondary differences emerging because of this variation influence the efficiency, lasting period, potency, and after-effects of both medicines.

Whether you should use Modvigil or Artvigil depends on the severity of your sleep disorders, the treatment plan of the physician, and your tolerance to the strengths and ingredients of Modvigil and Artvigil.