How to Control and Minimize Modafinil Tolerance | 7 Quick Tips

If you’re considering taking Modafinil or believe you may be developing a tolerance to the smart drug, then here are a few tips you can use.

They are not ranked in any particular order, so please use your best judgment in deciding which of these tips may be most relevant for you. We are assuming that you are using high-quality Modafinil sourced from a legitimate vendor, as impure and contaminated samples may lead to unwanted outcomes.

– Don’t Develop Any Tolerance –

While this is much easier said than done, a preventative and proactive approach is key to ensuring you do not develop any kind of tolerance to Modafinil.

This will not be relevant for people who are brand new to using Modafinil as they do not have a “Modafinil tolerance” in the first place.

If you are in this situation right now, please be mindful of the subsequent tips being shared. Many research subjects have found them to be effective in preventing Modafinil tolerance.

– Limit Usage –

As with any other nootropic in existence, the key to successfully take Modafinil without developing tolerance is to practice moderation.

It goes without saying that taking excessively high dosages of Modafinil for several days and weeks in a row will develop a strong tolerance to the smart drug.

Here are some recommendations for using Modafinil responsibly:

Do not take Modafinil more than 4 times a week. 1-2 days within the week works best for most people

Your daily dosage should be 100-200 mg for best results. Never take more than 200 mg in a single dose.

Following the two rules above will ensure you don’t have too many tolerance issues with Modafinil.

– Never On Back-to-Back Days –

Extending on the recommendations above, avoid taking the drug on consecutive days. If you’re taking Modafinil 4 days a week, you want to space your doses out by at least day.

So if you take Modafinil on a Monday, you should wait until Wednesday to take it again.

By not taking Modafinil on back-to-back days, you’ll ensure the drug’s effects remain strong.

The people who develop major issues with tolerance and smart drugs end up abusing them. This means taking the same nootropic every single day at abnormally high dosages, then increasing the dose even further when the drug “stops working.”

– Take Breaks –

If you’ve been using Modafinil 1-4 days a week for a few straight months, you will need to take a break from the smart drug.

Many research subjects who use nootropic 1-2 times a week for around two straight months will completely stop taking Modafinil for two full weeks [15]:

“…it takes about 3 – 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 – 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). Modafinil may present a cross-tolerance with all benzhydryl nootropics, meaning that after the consumption of modafinil, all related eugeroic compounds such as armodafinil and adrafinil will display a reduced effect.”

By not consuming the nootropic for two straight weeks, your body will automatically reset its Modafinil tolerance levels. Coming off a break from Modafinil, users typically feel the smart drug’s strength is restored when they start using it again.

Usually, a 1-4 week break is sufficient to reset one’s tolerance to Modafinil.

Some users personally prefer a “two week on, two week off” cycle where Modafinil is used in cycles. Such an approach allows one to experience the maximum cognitive benefits while preventing themselves from developing a tolerance to Modafinil.

Alternatively, you may decide to reserve Modafinil use for emergency events (all-nighters, overnight work shift, tight deadlines, etc.).

– Cycle Smart Drugs –

Despite Modafinil’s reputation as the only nootropic one might need, experienced smart drug users will cycle the use of smart drugs.

This allows them to avoid becoming 100% reliant on Modafinil, or any smart drug for that matter.

There are many great Modafinil alternatives for users who are seeking a different kind of cognitive boost.

NOTE: If you decide to use Armodafinil (a.k.a. Nuvigil) instead of Modafinil, know that Armodafinil tolerance is also possible. The tips in this guide are equally effective for eliminating any Nuvigil tolerance you may have.

– Limit Other Drugs & Stimulants –

In addition to regularly rotating your nootropics, it is highly advisable to avoid using other smart drugs with Modafinil on the same day.

This means if you are taking Modafinil on one day, you should not be taking something such as Mind Lab Pro.

The same rule applies to stimulants. Combined with the wakefulness-promoting properties of Modafinil, the increase in energy levels may be too overwhelming for some users.

Other users have had mixed results using Modafinil and fresh organic coffee (1-2 cups maximum) on the same day, but this is as far as our recommendations go.

– Supplement with Magnesium –

There is some experimental data suggesting that magnesium supplementation can lower one’s tolerance levels to addictive drugs [16]:

“Magnesium reduces the intensity of addiction to opiates and psychostimulants (cocaine, amphetamine, nicotine, and others). It also decreases the auto-administration of cocaine and the relapse into cocaine and amphetamine intake, as well as reducing the experimental addiction to morphine, cocaine and other substances in animals. …Apart from the action of magnesium ions during emerging addiction, administration of this cation after the appearance of withdrawal syndrome reduces the intensity of the clinical symptoms.”

If you’ve already developed issues with dosing and tolerance, then supplementing with magnesium and stopping usage may be your best bet to reset your tolerance to Modafinil.

There are many ways to go about consuming magnesium, and it appears that magnesium oil may be the easiest form of administration for most individuals.

– BONUS TIP: Be Mindful Of What Enzymes Are Affected By Modafinil –

Modafinil is metabolized in the liver by the CYP3A4 enzyme, but it apparently affects other enzymes during the metabolization process [17]:

“…modafinil has the potential to inhibit CYP2C19, suppress CYP2C9, and induce CYP3A4, CYP2B6, and CYP1A2. Because modafinil and modafinil sulfone are reversible inhibitors of the drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP2C19, co-administration of modafinil with drugs such as diazepam, phenytoin and propranolol, which are largely eliminated via that pathway, may increase the circulating levels of those compounds.”

When an enzyme is inhibited, its metabolic efficiency goes down. If a drug is normally metabolized by said enzyme, more of the prodrug (usually the inactive form of the drug) and the active form of the drug will be present. Thus, an individual will feel “less” of the drug’s effect.

Vice versa, an induced enzyme is more metabolically efficient. More of the active drug will be present in your body and you will feel “more” of the drug’s effect.

Check the product information with any additional supplements or medications you are taking to see if Modafinil’s enzyme-affecting properties will affect their distribution in your body.

To demonstrate this using an example, grapefruit is a powerful inhibitor of CYP3A4. Since Modafinil itself is the active drug, less of it is broken down and you will experience a more powerful boost in cognition.