Nuvigil (armodafinil) and Provigil (modafinil) are widely used nootropics (smart drugs) for people with excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea. Most people use either of these drugs to overcome sleepiness during night shifts.
Off-label, Nuvigil and Provigil are used to boost cognitive function because of their potential action on the brain. They are found to be effective at improving learning, memory, attention, focus, concentration, and motivation.
Before knowing which one is better, it is important to understand how these smart drugs work.
Pharmacologically, the exact mechanism of action of Nuvigil and Provigil is unknown, but it is presumed that they boost dopamine (neurotransmitter) signaling and improve the secretion of certain brain chemicals, such as orexin, serotonin, GABA, among others.
Armodafinil, the active drug of Nuvigil, is the R-enantiomer of racemic modafinil, the active drug of Provigil, meaning they are slightly different structurally.
“It appears to be similarly effective, according to randomized trials, but Nuvigil and Provigil have never been directly compared, according to GoodRx, a healthcare website that offers a range of services that help people get the healthcare they need at a price they can afford.
GoodRx says Nuvigil is a good first-line choice probably because of the longer half-life than Provigil. It also says that Nuvigil is a good choice of drug, starting at a dose of 150 mg at once-a-day dosing than Provigil.
“Nuvigil has also been studied for fatigue related to menopause, and doses up to 150 mg a day were shown to improve quality of life,” the website says.
According to PubMed, Nuvigil, when compared to Provigil, has found to improve wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness caused by shift work disorder (SWSD)
“Pharmacokinetic studies suggest that armodafinil achieves higher plasma concentrations than modafinil late in a dose interval following equal oral doses,” according to PubMed.
Remember, Nuvigil and Provigil are schedule IV controlled substances so there is a potential for abuse and you need a prescription to buy any of them. However, studies have found that they do not cause much withdrawal like amphetamines such as Adderall or Ritalin. The bottom line is Nuvigil is a better drug than Provigil when it comes to treating excessive sleepiness – thanks to its long half-life.
