Comparison
Armodafinil vs Spermidine
Side-by-side of Armodafinil and Spermidine. 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.
Spermidine
Spermidine supplement benefits cover autophagy induction, longevity signals, and cognition. Wheat germ extract data, doses, and human trials reviewed.
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
Spermidine
- •Endogenous polyamine that induces autophagy via EP300 acetyltransferase inhibition and TFEB activation
- •Concentrated in wheat germ, soybeans, aged cheese, and mushrooms; ~10 to 15 mg/day in Mediterranean diets
- •Eisenberg 2016 reported dietary spermidine extended mouse lifespan and improved cardiac function
- •Wirth 2018 pilot (n=28) reported cognitive signal at 0.9 mg/day in older adults at risk for dementia
- •Larger Wirth 2019 follow-up (n=85) did not replicate the memory benefit at 12 months
- •Generally regarded as safe at supplemental doses; food-source position is reassuring
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Armodafinil | Spermidine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | supplement |
| Also known as | Nuvigil, R-modafinil, (R)-(-)-modafinil | spermidine trihydrochloride, wheat-germ-extract spermidine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 15 | 6 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 150 | 1.2 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | daily, typically morning with food |
| Routes | oral | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 3 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 273.35 | 145.25 |
| Molecular formula | C15H15NO2S | C7H19N3 |
| Mechanism | Weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus downstream activation of histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic wake systems; R-enantiomer of modafinil with longer half-life. | Induces macroautophagy via inhibition of EP300 histone acetyltransferase and activation of TFEB-mediated lysosomal biogenesis. Substrate for hypusination of eIF5A, required for translation of mitochondrial respiration proteins. |
| Legal status | Schedule IV (US); prescription-only globally; not a supplement | OTC dietary supplement (wheat-germ extract has GRAS status in US) |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Schedule IV | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended at supplemental doses |
| CAS | 112111-43-0 | 124-20-9 |
| PubChem CID | 9148206 | 1102 |
| Wikidata | Q4791953 | Q411089 |
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)
Spermidine
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- wheat-germ allergy or celiac disease (for wheat-germ-extract products)
- active cancer (theoretical)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
Interactions
- DFMO (difluoromethylornithine): competing polyamine metabolism; do not combine without oncology guidance(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Spermidine comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, 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 fatigue resistance, pick Armodafinil.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Spermidine.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Spermidine is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Spermidine. Lower friction to source, 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 Spermidine?
Armodafinil and Spermidine 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 Spermidine?
Armodafinil half-life is 15 hours; Spermidine half-life is 6 hours.
Can you stack Armodafinil with Spermidine?
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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