Can Adrafinil Get You ‘High’?

Today’s job roles are quite different from those used to be in the past, demanding more mental effort than physical input. To stay on top of the game, many people resort to “smart drugs” such as adrafinil to promote wakefulness, increase focus, boost memory, and improve productivity.

If you’re interested in using this drug to gain a competitive edge at work or in school but curious about how it may affect you, you’ll learn all you need to know in this article. Read on.

What Is Adrafinil Drug?

Adrafinil is in a class of drugs called nootropics. Nootropics are natural agents or drugs that enable cognitive abilities, such as memory development and recall, learning and rational reasoning, imaginative thinking, attention, motivation, mental energy, and mood, to improve.

The drug was initially used in France to promote wakefulness, improve mood, and increase alertness in seniors [1]. It was marketed under the brand name Olmifon until it was voluntarily discontinued in September 2011. Today, it is still produced by several pharmaceutical firms from around the world.

The medicine works by altering the levels of certain natural chemicals in the region of the brain that regulates sleep and wakefulness. Some of these chemicals include dopamine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Their levels at any point in time have been found to influence mood, alertness, and wakefulness [2].

Adrafinil is generally safe, and it’s effective too. Many professionals from different walks of life use it to work smarter and increase performance.

Can Adrafinil Make You ‘High’?

The answer is no; it cannot make you “high” if you take it alone.

Adrafinil is a mild stimulant that can provide you with enhanced mental alertness and focus that may last up to 6 or 8 hours. However, on the popular forum Reddit, some users note that the drug provides them with approx. 10–12 hours of cognitive benefits [3]. As a stimulant, it does the exact opposite of what depressants like alcohol do. It stimulates the release of natural brain chemicals, which promotes wakefulness and raises the mood.

In the “smart drug” community, adrafinil is regarded as a slower-acting modafinil alternative with milder effects. Regardless, it provides a strong burst of energy that keeps you alert and clears brain fog, allowing you to take on more tasks than you normally do within a given period of time and execute them perfectly.

Although it is established that experiencing adrafinil “high” is almost impossible, it remains advisable for individuals taking it for the first time to be vigilant. “Smart drugs” work differently in different people, so it is important first to understand how it affects you before driving, operating machinery, or performing any other task that requires a high level of concentration. First-time users are advised to start with the lowest dose to see how their bodies respond before stepping up to higher doses.

At this point, it is worth noting that adrafinil interacts with certain substances and should not be mixed with them. Alcohol is one substance that should never be combined with it, as doing so can put a strain on the liver [4]. Some individuals who’ve tried mixing them reported experiencing a blackout.

So in a nutshell, adrafinil cannot make you feel “high” unless you take it alongside some substances like alcohol. Instead, it can help you focus on your work or assignment without feeling the need to procrastinate. However, be sure to consult a doctor before taking any drug.

User Experience and Case Studies

Adrafinil is a stimulant that doesn’t have the side effects that other psychostimulants have. It has a direct impact on the central nervous system (CNS), but its mechanism of action is unspecified. Adrafinil’s effectiveness as a vigilance-promoting agent has been demonstrated in clinical trials. Some of these studies showed that this drug was effective in improving attention, memory, and other deficiencies caused by lack of alertness [1]. However, this is all theory; how about in practice?

Well, many people who’ve tried adrafinil have given it a thumbs up in terms of its safety and efficacy, as observed by reviews. However, some users reported experiencing little to no difference even after taking the drug. But this is no surprise, as different nootropic users often have different experiences.

Based on reviews still, some users indicated that they did not respond to the drug on their first intake but started experiencing increased alertness and focus from their third consumption or thereabout.

Some other users said that they didn’t experience any effects at all and would be discontinuing. On the other hand, a vast majority reported getting the best out of the drug.

Bottom line? Adrafinil works but not the same for everyone. And the best way to find out is to try the pills for a few weeks and see if they work for you.

Adrafinil Benefits & Side Effects

Adrafinil is a powerful nootropic and a great choice if you need a boost at work or school. It is observed to be effective for people who work long hours or have erratic schedules that can conflict with a regular sleep schedule. Long periods spent driving or sitting in front of a screen can be taxing for one’s mental health, but adrafinil can give you the boost you need to stay focused and on track during the day.

Students should be able to go to school, concentrate, and then return home feeling good in an ideal world. However, many struggle to get up early for class, stay focused during a lecture or find the energy needed to learn and study. In such cases, the drug may help promote wakefulness, increase focus, and motivate the student to study and learn. It can also provide faster mental processing speed and improved retentive memory required to prepare for a big test or exams when a deadline looms.

For workers, entrepreneurs, and executives of top corporations, the drug may help improve creativity and boost cognition on all levels to allow for the handling of more tasks within a short period. Other benefits of the medication include:

• improved brain health;
• enhanced mood;
• improved memory;
• energy boost;
• improved reaction time.

However, it is worth noting that like all drugs, adrafinil may also cause side effects. But they are typically mild and tend to disappear within a few hours without any form of treatment. Some of the associated side effects include [2]:

• nausea;
• loss of appetite;
• mild headache;
• insomnia;
• back pain;
• constipation.

Since the use of adrafinil has been shown to raise the levels of some liver enzymes, it should not be taken regularly or in combination with any other medication. Increased liver enzyme levels can cause liver damage if the wrong medications are taken. Regardless, adrafinil is a safe and non-toxic substance, and there may be no cause for alarm if it is used correctly.

Adrafinil vs Modafinil

Adrafinil and modafinil are two different drugs with different legal statuses, but they have a lot in common. For starters, adrafinil is a prodrug for modafinil, which means it is metabolized by the liver into modafinil.

Both drugs provide increased alertness, memory, and focus required to perform better at work, school, and in other walks of life. However, generally, modafinil works much faster, providing 12–15 hours of cognitive enhancement compared to adrafinil that offers only 6–8 hours [5]. But certain people find its short duration of action an advantage, as they can take it late in the day and still sleep properly at night. The same can’t be said for modafinil, as it stays too long in the body to let you sleep properly at night.

At the end of the day, both drugs are great, and either one may be taken depending on how long you intend to be active.

Where to Buy Adrafinil Online?

Adrafinil is a relatively popular drug, and it can be found very easily online. While this is good news, it has its downsides. With so many vendors available, it can be a tad difficult to determine which ones sell genuine products. Like other nootropics, there are many counterfeit adrafinil tabs in circulation, and besides being ineffective, they can be harmful to health.

This is why the importance of buying from only reliable and trustworthy online pharmacies cannot be overemphasized. But how can you tell what vendor is legit and what isn’t? Well, the easiest way to find out is by reading buying guides. We have a whole section dedicated to this on our website, and you can check it out before buying any product.

Another way of determining where to buy the desired product is by banking on word of mouth, but this can sometimes be wrong.

The Verdict: Adrafinil ‘High’

Although there is no medical or scientific proof that adrafinil can get you “high,” new users should be cautious when using this nootropic. Starting with a dose of 150 mg and observing how your body responds to it are recommended before increasing to a maximum dose of 300–600 mg.

Adrafinil’s effect lasts for around 8 hours for most users. So, if you’re taking the drug for the first time, have it at the back of your mind that it may affect how you normally react for this period. As such, it is advisable to try to understand how your body responds to it before proceeding to use it at work. This way, you will know what to expect and perform exceedingly well at work.

Avoid alcohol and energy drinks while taking this drug to avoid dangerous interactions that can cause you discomfort or may even be life-threatening. Do well to consult a doctor before starting treatment with this drug or any other one.

Another important thing you must do if you decide to use this drug is to buy it from a reputable and trustworthy pharmacy. There are lots of counterfeits in circulation, and one of the only ways to be sure you’ll be getting a high-quality product is to source it from a trusted vendor.

References

1. Adrafinil. Retrieved: May 3, 2021. Wikipedia.org.
2. Adrafinil – An Overview. Retrieved: May 3, 2021. Sciencedirect.com.
3. How long does 300mg Adrafinil last?. By u/Thopgu. Retrieved: May 3, 2021. Reddit.com.
4. Nootropics and Alcohol: Can You Mix Them? Retrieved: May 3, 2021. Nootropics.com.
5. How Long Does Modafinil Stay in Your System? By The Recovery Village. Retrieved: May 3, 2021. Therecoveryvillage.com.