Little information is available regarding how long armodafinil stays in the body, but doctors can make estimates based on the drug’s chemical properties.
If you take a medication like armodafinil, the generic version of Nuvigil, you may wonder how long its effects last in your body. Further, if you are subject to drug tests for work, you may wonder if the drug is picked up on these tests. There is little research about how long armodafinil stays in the body; however, the drug’s chemical properties allow doctors to at least predict how long it lasts in the system.
Article at a Glance:
Armodafinil is the generic version of Nuvigil, a brand name drug.
Armodafinil is closely related to modafinil, but armodafinil may last longer in the body.
Little research is available regarding how long drug tests can detect armodafinil.
How Long Does Armodafinil Stay in Your System?
Armodafinil is a Schedule IV controlled substance that is FDA-approved to improve wakefulness in sleep-related conditions like:
- Narcolepsy
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Shift-work disorder
Like other stimulants, the drug indirectly increases the amount of dopamine in the brain. Experts are not exactly surehow armodafinil increases wakefulness.
Researchers do not know exactly how long armodafinil can be detected in the body. However, armodafinil’s half-life of four hours suggests it may take around 20 hours for the drug to be removed from the system. Additionally, informationsuggests it may last longer than modafinil (Provigil), a chemically related drug.
Drugs are often divided into chemical categories known as R and S. Armodafinil and modafinil are considered mirror-image drugs: Armodafinil contains only the R version of the drug, and modafinil includes both the R and S version. This difference gives armodafinil and modafinil different chemical properties, which may make armodafinil last a bit longer in the system than modafinil.
How Long Does Armodafinil Stay in Your Urine, Hair and Blood?
Routine drug tests do not test for armodafinil. However, armodafinil can be found with specialty blood tests if specifically requested. That said, there is little data indicating how long armodafinil can be found in urine tests versus hair or blood tests.
Factors That Influence How Long Armodafinil Stays in Your System
Several factors can impact how long an armodafinil product like Nuvigil stays in your body. These include:
- Dose: It may take your body longer to break down a higher dose of armodafinil compared to a lower dose.
- Age: Older adults may have a harder time breaking down armodafinil than younger people, meaning the drug may stay in their bodies longer.
- Liver problems: Since armodafinil is broken down by the liver, liver problems may mean that the drug stays in the body longer.
Half-Life of Armodafinil
The half-life of a drug reflects how much time it takes for the body to remove half of a dose from its system. Nuvigil has a relatively long half-life of four hours. Because it takes around five half-lives to clear a drug from the system, Nuvigil may stay in the body for about 20 hours.
Find the Help You Need
If you or a loved one struggles with armodafinil misuse, our experts at The Recovery Village are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about treatment plans that can work well for your needs.
Armodafinil Withdrawal And Detox
Hallare, Jericho; Gerriets, Valerie. “Half Life.” StatPearls, October 6, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020.
Drugs.com. “Nuvigil.” March 1, 2010. Accessed November 15, 2020.
NMS Labs. “Modafinil/Armodafinil, Blood.” Accessed November 15, 2020.
Mobile Health Management Services. “What Are the Different Drug Panels?” Accessed November 15, 2020.
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