Comparison
Armodafinil vs NMN
Side-by-side of Armodafinil and NMN. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Armodafinil
Armodafinil is the R-enantiomer sold as Nuvigil. Half-life 10-15 h, 150 mg standard dose, narcolepsy and shift-work approvals, Schedule IV.
NMN
NMN supplements are oral nicotinamide mononucleotide capsules sold for longevity, energy, and metabolic health. They raise plasma NAD+ 30-90% at 250-1000.
Effects at a glance
Armodafinil
- •FDA approved in 2007 for narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorder, and OSA residual sleepiness
- •R-enantiomer of modafinil; 150 mg armodafinil is roughly equivalent to 200 mg modafinil
- •Schedule IV controlled in the US; prescription-only globally
- •Longer terminal half-life of about 15 hours produces extended late-day wakefulness coverage
- •Same CYP3A4 induction as modafinil; reduces hormonal contraceptive efficacy
- •Side-effect profile and dermatologic risk warnings mirror modafinil
NMN
- •Plasma NAD+ rises 30-90% at 250-1000 mg/day across human PK studies
- •Tissue NAD+ rise is inconsistent across human trials (Yoshino 2021, Igarashi 2022)
- •No human trials measure hard endpoints (mortality, CV events, cancer); evidence is biomarker-only
- •Most trials cluster at 250-500 mg/day; dose-response above 250 mg/day is poorly characterized
- •FDA position contested; widely sold as supplement but with regulatory uncertainty
- •Marketing claims for fertility and longevity outrun the human trial evidence substantially
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Armodafinil | NMN |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | supplement |
| Also known as | Nuvigil, R-modafinil, (R)-(-)-modafinil | nicotinamide mononucleotide, beta-NMN |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 15 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 150 | 250 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | 1x daily, often morning |
| Routes | oral | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 273.35 | 334.22 |
| Molecular formula | C15H15NO2S | C11H15N2O8P |
| Mechanism | Weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus downstream activation of histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic wake systems; R-enantiomer of modafinil with longer half-life. | Direct precursor in the NAD+ salvage pathway; converted to NAD+ by NMNAT enzymes in essentially every tissue. Raised NAD+ supports sirtuin and PARP enzyme activity. |
| Legal status | Schedule IV (US); prescription-only globally; not a supplement | Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Schedule IV | Not scheduled |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data; precautionary avoidance |
| CAS | 112111-43-0 | 1094-61-7 |
| PubChem CID | 9148206 | 14180 |
| Wikidata | Q4791953 | Q418972 |
Safety profile
Armodafinil
Common side effects
- headache
- nausea
- dizziness
- anxiety
- insomnia (with later-day dosing)
- dry mouth
- mild blood pressure elevation
Contraindications
- recent myocardial infarction
- unstable angina
- left ventricular hypertrophy
- significant arrhythmia
- history of Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- psychotic disorders
- pregnancy
- concurrent MAOI use
Interactions
- hormonal contraceptives: CYP3A4 induction reduces contraceptive efficacy; use barrier method(major)
- cyclosporine: reduced cyclosporine levels via CYP3A4 induction(major)
- warfarin: CYP2C9 inhibition raises INR(moderate)
- phenytoin: CYP2C19 inhibition raises phenytoin levels(moderate)
- MAOIs: potential hypertensive reaction(major)
- classical stimulants: additive cardiovascular and sleep-disruption effects(moderate)
NMN
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- occasional headache
- flushing (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (precautionary, no data)
- active cancer (theoretical concern, not evidence-based)
Interactions
- metformin: no clinically significant interaction documented; both modulate metabolism through different mechanisms(minor)
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical concern about supporting cancer cell proliferation; coordinate with oncology team(moderate)
- CD38 inhibitors: would amplify NMN-induced NAD+ rise; not clinically relevant for most users(minor)
Which Should You Take?
NMN comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, Contested in US (FDA position 2022); widely sold as supplement; broadly available in EU, UK, Asia, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Armodafinil is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is wakefulness, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick NMN.
- → If your priority is energy and stamina, pick NMN.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Armodafinil ~15 hr vs NMN ~4 hr). Armodafinil reaches steady state faster; NMN is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: NMN. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Armodafinil only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Armodafinil and NMN?
Armodafinil and NMN differ in category (pharmaceutical vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Armodafinil or NMN?
Armodafinil half-life is 15 hours; NMN half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Armodafinil with NMN?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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