Comparison
Glutathione vs Modafinil
Side-by-side of Glutathione and Modafinil. 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.
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. Oral supplementation has variable bioavailability; sublingual, liposomal, and IV forms.
Modafinil
Modafinil cognitive enhancement profile: wakefulness-promoting agent, 100-200 mg dosing, 12-15 hour half-life, off-label nootropic use, Schedule IV status.
Effects at a glance
Glutathione
- •Body's primary intracellular antioxidant; tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, glycine
- •Oral bioavailability poor; sublingual, liposomal, IV more reliable
- •Richie 2014 trial showed body GSH store increases at 250-1000 mg/day for 6 months
- •NAC supplementation often more cost-effective indirect strategy
- •Modest signals in NAFLD, skin aging, immune support; weak in cardiovascular
Modafinil
- •FDA approved in 1998 for narcolepsy, with later additions for shift-work sleep disorder and OSA residual sleepiness
- •Schedule IV controlled substance in the US; prescription-only in EU, UK, Australia
- •Increases wakefulness via weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic activation
- •Long half-life of 12 to 15 hours requires morning dosing to avoid sleep disruption
- •Modest cognitive enhancement signal in non-sleep-deprived adults at 100 to 200 mg (Battleday meta-review 2015)
- •Substantial CYP3A4 induction reduces hormonal contraceptive efficacy; barrier methods recommended
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | Modafinil |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | pharmaceutical |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | Provigil, Modalert, Modvigil, diphenylmethylsulfinyl-acetamide |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 13 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 200 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | daily, morning |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 273.35 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C15H15NO2S |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Weak dopamine reuptake inhibition plus downstream activation of histaminergic, noradrenergic, and orexinergic wake-promoting systems. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | Schedule IV (US); prescription-only globally; not a supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | banned |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Schedule IV |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Not recommended |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 68693-11-8 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 4236 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q422968 |
Safety profile
Glutathione
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
Contraindications
- asthma (IV / inhaled forms specifically)
- active chemotherapy without oncologist guidance
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interference with GSH-depletion-dependent agents(moderate)
Modafinil
Common side effects
- headache
- nausea
- anxiety
- insomnia (with late-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 (amphetamine, methylphenidate): additive cardiovascular and sleep-disruption effects(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Glutathione comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Modafinil is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is wakefulness, pick Modafinil.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Modafinil.
Edge case: If you want to avoid controlled substance, Glutathione is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Glutathione. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Modafinil 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 Glutathione and Modafinil?
Glutathione and Modafinil differ in category (supplement vs pharmaceutical), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Glutathione or Modafinil?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Modafinil half-life is 13 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with Modafinil?
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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