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Aug 2020
1h 5m

Modafinil: Is This Wildly Popular Smart ...

BEN GREENFIELD
About this episode

bengreenfieldfitness.com/modafinil

 

Modafinil (also known as "Provigil").

 

 

 

It's the darling of the smart drug industry, and has been for quite some time.

 

 

With over 200 human clinical studies in the past 10 years, it is reported to have few to no side effects, to not be addictive and to not be excessively stimulating.

 

 

It's used by notable figures like Joe Rogan, Ray Kurzweil, Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, Tim Ferriss and many others.

 

 

It's the entire inspiration behind the smart drug movie Limitless with Bradley Cooper.

 

 

It may increase resistance to fatigue and improve mood, reaction time and vigilance, while simultaneously reducing bad decision making.

 

 

Laboratory studies have even shown that it may have potent antioxidative and neuroprotective effects.

 

 

Modafinil is also of a high interest to the US military for enhancing alertness and reducing battle fatigue.

 

 

Acute modafinil ingestion significantly increases exercise time to exhaustion.

 

 

So what could go wrong? Is this stuff too good to be true? Surely there must be some dark biological side of this supposed super smart drug. In today's podcast, I host a guest who knows more about the science of modafinil than anyone I'm aware of, and who, conveniently, happens to live just a few miles from my house: Dr. Jonathan Wisor.

 

 

 

During our discussion, you'll discover: -How Jonathan became interested in sleep and neuroscience...8:05

 

 

 

 

-What is Modafinil, exactly?...13:40

 

 

 

 

-How various neurotransmitters respond to modafinil...19:30

 

 

 

 

-Antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of modafinil...23:20

 

 

 

 

-How modafinil use can go wrong...31:15

 

 

 

 

 

-Whether or not genetics determine a response to modafinil...47:05

 

 

 

 

-How Modafinil affects sleep cycles...49:50

 

 

 

 

-How long does modafinil stay in the bloodstream after taking it...54:15

 

 

 

-Effects of combining modafinil w/ alcohol and drugs...57:55     -Why Jonathan has never used modafinil personally...1:05:50  

 

 

 

Episode sponsors: Kion Creatine, Beekeeper's Naturals, Thrive Market, Seed  

bengreenfieldfitness.com/modafinil

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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