Drug tolerance is a natural occurrence and a testament to the adaptability of the human body. Unfortunately, it also means that you need to take larger doses to receive the same benefits. This can lead to dangerous addictions when it comes to some drugs, but with modafinil the instances of addiction are rare and it is simply the diminished efficacy that you have to deal with.
So, what how can you combat modafinil tolerance?
The best defence is a good offence and taking steps to avoid developing a tolerance is the best way to ensure you continue to feel benefits:
Don’t take it every day
Modafinil isn’t a recreational drug, it’s a tool. If you use the same tool every day, it’s going to blunt. Keep it sharp by taking days off and have more moda-free days than not. If you need to use it a few days in a row, make sure you take a break for a few days. If your usage is light, then you may only need a week off to reset your tolerance, while heavier users might need a month to get back to zero.
Limit other smart drugs and stimulants
Modafinil is strong stuff and aside from a few cups of coffee, you won’t want to take anything else. This includes other types of smart drugs, but also caffeine pills and energy drinks. Not only will other stimulants impact the quality of your downtime when you do take a moda break, an important part of getting the maximum benefit from modafinil is ensuring you get enough sleep, which will be difficult if you’re full of caffeine, sugar and guarana.
Take some magnesium
Magnesium is reputed to reset drug tolerance levels by inhibiting the NMDA receptors, which control addiction and tolerance. While scientific evidence is inconclusive, anecdotally people have experienced positive effects when using magnesium to lower their tolerance. It is available as a supplement in most supermarkets, pharmacies and health food stores. There are also theories that promote grapefruit as a CYP3A4 enzyme inhibitor (the enzyme that helps your liver flush drugs out of your system), but again these are inconclusive from a scientific standpoint. Either way, people should eat more fruit so have a grapefruit anyway.
Is it just the honeymoon effect?
Remember the first time you drank a beer? Or had a cup of coffee? Probably not. But the first time with any substance will be more intense than subsequent usage, even if you are moderate in your dosage. If you’ve tried the above tips but are still feeling like the effects of moda are muted, perhaps you are comparing it to the “honeymoon” period and hoping for effects that are beyond the scope of modafinil. You could try increasing your dosage – between 100mg and 200mg is normally recommended – or switch to a more potent form, such as armodafinil.