Adrafinil vs. Caffeine

If you drink coffee, then you’re likely familiar with the stimulatory effects of caffeine. Adrafinil will keep you awake too, but this pharmaceutical drug fights fatigue by a different mechanism. While neither are regulated as a controlled substances in the United States, adrafinil is classified as an illegal substance in the world of sports. Consult your physician before using either if you have a condition that makes you sensitive to stimulants, such as high blood pressure.

Caffeine

The alkaloid caffeine is one of the chemical components in coffee beans that give the flavor of coffee a slightly bitter quality. Caffeine is also a drug that exerts stimulatory effects on the central nervous system. Caffeine relaxes your bronchial tubes and blood vessel membranes, which enhances lung function and blood circulation. In the brain, caffeine stimulates energy production in cells by increasing an influx of calcium, but it does not have the same dilating effects on cerebral blood vessels. In fact, blood flow in the brain is reduced. Caffeine appears to affect dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline release, which contributes to feelings of alertness.

Adrafinil

Also sold under the brand name Olmifon, adrafinil is an adrenergic alpha-agonist, which means it competes with norepinephrine and adrenaline to bind to alpha adrenergic receptors, the sites where certain chemicals trigger the fight-or-flight response. Because they share modafinilic acid as a metabolite, adrafinil has similar pharmacological actions as the drug modafinil, which is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for the treatment of narcolepsy, or “sleeping sickness.” However, adrafinil is slower acting and is not approved to treat any condition.

Legal Standing

If you can’t seem to get your feet on the floor in the morning without a cup of java, rest assured you’re not doing anything unlawful. The FDA gives caffeine GRAS status, which means generally recognized as safe. Similarly, adrafinil is not considered a controlled substance in the United States nor is it regulated by the FDA, so you don’t need a prescription to carry it. If you are an athlete who participates in international competition, however, you can consume caffeine but you will want to avoid adrafinil. This is because the World Anti-Doping Agency, an entity governed by the International Olympic Committee, considers adrafinil a “doping agent” and banned its use in athletes in 2004.

Safety Considerations

Certain medical conditions may exclude you as a candidate to safely enjoy coffee or other foods and beverages that contain caffeine. This also applies to the use of adrafinil, because the drug exerts similar effects. If you experience difficulty concentrating or staying alert, or if you have a history of kidney disease, heart problems, anxiety and other psychic disorders, see your doctor for further guidance.