Side Effects, Non-responders, and Rare Risks

Most people chase fat loss, focus, and energy with caffeine or stimulants, but the real key to brain optimization and human performance is a pharmaceutical nootropic that activates your wakefulness circuits without jitters or a crash. In this episode, you’ll learn how Modafinil upgrades mitochondria, sharpens neuroplasticity, improves metabolism, and extends longevity with evidence-based tools used by elite thinkers, fighter pilots, and world leaders. This is not a sales pitch. It is an educational masterclass on how to upgrade your brain beyond what it can ever do naturally. 

Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: 

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR 

Host Dave Asprey takes you inside the full playbook of Modafinil, a prescription nootropic often called the “real Limitless pill.” With over 20 years of personal experience using it daily alongside biohacking stacks of supplements, fasting, ketosis, cold therapy, sleep optimization, and Danger Coffee, Dave explains why Modafinil is more than just a wakefulness drug. It is a brain optimization tool that supports mitochondrial energy, resilience, and cognitive clarity. 

Together with decades of research, Dave shows you how Modafinil compares to stimulants like Adderall and caffeine, why it was adopted by Air Force pilots and Wall Street executives, and how functional medicine strategies can help you safely integrate it into a broader biohacking and longevity stack. This is a masterclass in hacking cognition and performance, designed for anyone who wants a sharper brain, stronger metabolism, and a more resilient body. 

You’ll learn: 

• How Modafinil works as a nootropic without overstimulating dopamine 

• The connection between mitochondria, neuroplasticity, and human performance 

• Why Modafinil may protect against brain aging and inflammation 

• How to dose, stack, and cycle Modafinil with supplements and nutrition 

• What to expect from Modafinil compared to stimulants like Adderall or caffeine 

• The risks, side effects, and who should avoid it 

This is essential listening for fans of biohacking, hacking human performance, functional medicine, and longevity who want actionable tools from Host Dave Asprey and a transparent look at the world’s most famous cognitive enhancer. 

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (audio-only), and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. 

Keywords: Modafinil, Armodafinil, Adrafinil, Real Limitless pill, Smart drugs, Eugeroic drug, Nootropics for focus, Orexin activation, Dopamine modulation, Mitochondria ATP production, Neuroplasticity enhancers, Jet lag treatment, ADHD alternative, Poker player focus enhancer, Modafinil stack, Modafinil and L-theanine, Modafinil and NAD+, Modafinil side effects, Stevens Johnson syndrome risk, Alzheimer’s prevention modafinil 

Thank you to our sponsors!  

• Essentia | Go to https://myessentia.com/dave and use code DAVE for $100 off The Dave Asprey Upgrade. 
• BodyHealth | Go to https://bodyhealth.com/ and use code DAVE20 to save 20% off your first order of PerfectAmino. 
• ARMRA | Go to https://tryarmra.com/ and use the code DAVE to get 15% off your first order. 

Resources:  

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 

• Dave Asprey’s BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com 

• Dave Asprey’s New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated 

• Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com 

• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com 

• 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com 

Timestamps: 

• 0:00 — Trailer 

• 1:22 — Origin of Modafinil 

• 3:48 — Personal Experience 

• 8:22 — What to Expect 

• 9:37 — What Is Modafinil 

• 16:09 — How Modafinil Works 

• 19:36 — Benefits & Cognitive Upgrades 

• 25:36 — Dosing, Stacking, and Usage Tips 

• 28:17 — Side Effects and Safety 

• 31:37 — Sourcing and Legal Aspects 

• 36:55 — Research and Future Uses 

• 42:17 — Stacking for Biohacking 

• 47:07 — Recap and Final Advice 

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