The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Modafinil Masterclass: Clarity, Drive, and Longevity | Solo Pod : 1337

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Sep 30, 2025

Discover the brain-boosting potential of Modafinil, a nootropic that enhances energy and focus without the jitters of caffeine. Learn how it improves cognitive functions like memory and reaction time, while also benefiting mitochondrial health and longevity. Dave shares personal experiences, scientific research, and practical tips on dosing and stack recommendations. He also contrasts Modafinil with traditional stimulants like Adderall and caffeine, providing insights into who should consider using it. Explore its real-world impact and emerging research on neuroprotection.

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ANECDOTE

Life-Changing Discovery

Dave Asprey discovered modafinil when failing out of Wharton and it felt like the lights turned on for his brain.
He credits it with helping him graduate and build multiple companies over decades of use.

insights

INSIGHT

Not A Stimulant — A Eugeroic

Modafinil is a eugeroic: a wakefulness-promoting drug distinct from stimulants.
It promotes alertness without the typical stimulant crash or heavy dopamine flooding.

insights

INSIGHT

Orexin: The Natural 'On' Switch

Modafinil activates orexin neurons in the hypothalamus to stabilize wakefulness.
This mechanism keeps you alert without relying on heavy dopamine stimulation.

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What Modafinil Feels Like

03:11 • 1min

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Personal Backstory and First Use

04:24 • 6min

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What Kind of Drug Is Modafinil

10:48 • 1min

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Forms, Precursors, and Chemistry

12:08 • 7min

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How Modafinil Works in the Brain

19:36 • 3min

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Cognitive Benefits and Performance Evidence

23:05 • 3min

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Mitochondria, Anti-inflammatory, and Longevity Effects

25:48 • 3min

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Dosing, Half-life, and Practical Effects on Sleep

28:51 • 1min

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Recommended Stacks and Supplements

30:03 • 2min

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Side Effects, Non-responders, and Rare Risks

31:33 • 3min

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Usage Philosophy and Pulsing vs Daily Use

34:03 • 47sec

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Who Uses Modafinil and Legal Sourcing

34:51 • 2min

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Creativity and Real-world Impact Stories

36:45 • 2min

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Emerging Research and Future Directions

39:07 • 5min

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Comparisons with Caffeine and Traditional Stimulants

44:30 • 1min

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Who Should Avoid Modafinil

45:38 • 1min

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Behavioral and Environmental Enhancements to Amplify Effects

46:41 • 2min

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How to Start Safely with Modafinil

49:11 • 1min

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Recap of Modafinil Benefits and Best Practices

• Mentioned in 70 episodes

Heavily Meditated

8 Steps to Remove Your Triggers and Upgrade Your Mind

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In 'Heavily Meditated', Dave Asprey combines ancient wisdom traditions and practices with modern technology and cutting-edge methods. The book is based on his immersive program '40 Years of Zen' and provides an 8-step approach to help readers remove their triggers and upgrade their mental well-being. Asprey draws on his extensive experience in biohacking and human performance optimization to offer practical advice for improving mental clarity and resilience.

#2175

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Head strong

The Bulletproof Plan to Activate Untapped Brain Energy to Work Smarter and Think Faster in Just Two Weeks

Dave Asprey

In 'Head Strong,' Dave Asprey offers a two-week program to supercharge brain performance. The book combines the latest findings in neuroscience and neurobiology with a hacker-inspired approach to improve mental performance. It focuses on key areas such as powering the brain with the right nutrients, eliminating toxic foods and environmental factors, supercharging mitochondria, reversing inflammation, and promoting neuron growth. Asprey provides detailed plans on diet, physical activity, detox protocols, and environmental adjustments to enhance brain function and overall well-being.

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