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.

Visit the following websites to learn about The Recovery Village’s network of rehabilitation facilities. Call today for admissions. Each center is ready to help people learn how to cope with their Ambien addiction and uncover the root causes for their substance use disorder.

  • Orlando Recovery Center: A premier rehabilitation facility in Orlando, Florida that helps individuals recover from addiction and substance use disorders. The center also offers the opportunity to treat co-occurring disorders.
  • The Recovery Village Columbus: Located in Ohio, this facility provides inpatient, outpatient and aftercare treatment for people looking to begin detox. The center provides individualized plans to help patients through recovery while addressing their unique co-occurring disorders or any setbacks that may happen during recovery.
  • The Recovery Village Palmer Lake: In Colorado, this facility offers inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for individuals looking to kick-start their journey to recovery.
  • The Recovery Village Ridgefield: Located right in southern Washington, this facility provides patients with outpatient and aftercare programs. Just 20 minutes outside of Portland, this facility assists individuals who are ready to begin treatment.
  • The Recovery Village: In Umatilla, Florida, this is a rehabilitation facility that provides resources for individuals seeking drug and alcohol treatment. There are inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment programs available for those suffering from Ambien addiction.
  • IAFF Center of Excellence: Specializes in assisting firefighters who struggle with behavioral health problems and addiction. Members can enter the recovery process sooner so they can return back to work as quickly as possible. Inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs are all available at this facility, where patients can address their Ambien addiction in a safe, supportive environment.
  • Denver Mental Health & Counseling: Denver Mental Health and Counseling by The Recovery Village is a physician-led outpatient center specializing in evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, offering services such as TMS, IOP, and personalized care for both ongoing and new patients, dedicated to fostering long-term recovery and overall well-being.
  • The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health: The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health is a premier physician-led treatment center in South Florida, offering a comprehensive spectrum of services from medical detox to outpatient programs for alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, with a commitment to rejuvenating lives, families, and communities, and facilitating same-day admissions.
  • The Recovery Village Atlanta: Located in Roswell just outside downtown Atlanta, is a 62-bed physician-led treatment facility offering a comprehensive range of services, from medical detox to outpatient care, specializing in alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, dedicated to transforming lives, families, and communities throughout Georgia.
  • The Recovery Village Kansas City: The Recovery Village Kansas City, an 80-bed facility in Raytown just 10 miles from downtown, offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based treatments for addiction and mental health conditions, overseen by physician leaders, and is dedicated to revitalizing lives, families, and communities throughout the Midwest.
  • The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper Health: The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, situated just 20 minutes from Philadelphia, is a leading rehab facility in South Jersey providing comprehensive, evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, ranging from medical detox to teletherapy, with a dedicated team committed to guiding adults on their path to lifelong recovery.
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Editor – Jonathan Strum
Jonathan Strum graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor's in Communication in 2017 and has been writing professionally ever since. Read more
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Medically Reviewed By – Dr. Jessica Pyhtila, PharmD
Dr. Jessica Pyhtila is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist based in Baltimore, Maryland with practice sites in inpatient palliative care and outpatient primary care at the Department of Veteran Affairs. Read more
Sources

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.

Medical Disclaimer

The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.