Effects of acute modafinil ingestion on exercise time to exhaustion

Modafinil is a treatment for the rare neurological condition known as narcolepsy, in which a person experiences sleep attacks which cause them to fall asleep undesirably. 

Modafinil is not stimulatory but kind of acts like a stimulant. It is an eugeroic, that is; a "wakefulness-enhancing” agent which doesn’t make the user ‘restive' or ‘jittery' like most other conventional stimulants. 

With a prescription, people can safely buy modafinil without any worry, as it is not addictive and has been used to help individuals quit addictions, though there is a potential risk of abuse.

A study conducted by the University of Cambridge found that modafinil was effective at reducing bad decisions, which researchers refer to as, "poor impulse responses."

Dosage

Thirty to fifty milligrams of modafinil is sufficient for most people who suffer from narcolepsy. It should be taken in the morning since it would last for six to eight hours, and make sure you contact your Doctor for a proper prescription and dosage.

Alternatives

Racetams and microdoses of nicotine provide similar benefits.

Modafinil's Use in Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Researchers including Daniel Hurst, MD, and Margie Lance-Fish, RN, have found through experience with cerebral palsy patients that treatment with modafinil helps in improving a person's gait. Over 70% of the patients showed ambulatory improvement and were observed to walk faster following modafinil therapy.

The study supports the belief of improving tone in cerebral palsy, for which long-term improvements such as improved gait can be achieved.

That's the good news.

Cerebral palsy is still a challenging condition to treat. Many clients with cerebral palsy easily identify structural abnormalities in the brain while present therapies are limited and there is no complete therapy.

Currently, accepted treatments include; oral muscle relaxants, botulinum injections, a baclofen pump and orthopaedic procedures. Tizanidine, a muscle relaxant, comes with side effects including dry mouth, drowsiness and increased liver enzymes.

The side effects of Dantrolene include; malaise and weakness while Benzodiazepines may cause drowsiness and fatigue as well as drooling.

Modafinil opens the door to a new approach in treating cerebral palsy and is the only widely used treatment for cerebral palsy that improves motor performance.

Modafinil has so far proven to be well tolerated at modest doses. Some participating families and patients preferred to substitute modafinil for one of their earlier treatments such as botulinum. The current study reinforces previous modafinil studies.

Effects of Acute Modafinil Ingestion on Exercise Time to Exhaustion

The original study was meant to look into the result of instant ingesting of modafinil to depletion during intense exercise. Being a psychostimulant, modafinil was developed to treat narcolepsy with properties linked to an increased release of dopamine in the central nervous system.

The initial theory was that acute treatment with modafinil would enhance physical performance. Fifteen healthy males with a maximum aerobic level worked out on an ergometer for five minutes. That was the first week.

The trial lasted for three weeks, and for the remaining two weeks, the subjects of the study continued till exhaustion.

Oxygen intake rate at exhaustion was greater and elevated for those taking modafinil compared to those taking placebos.

The rates of perceived exertion lowered after 10 minutes of exercise, and the results suggested that the dampening of a ‘fatigue sensation' was a potential factor in the improved performance.

The study did not look into whether this exertion contributed to weight loss - only how long it allowed people to exert themselves for.