Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). The natural dietary supplement that tackles a wide range of disorders, from chronic pain and inflammation to influenza and the common cold.

What is PEA?

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a bioactive, functional lipid that occurs naturally in both animal and plant cells. It belongs to the fatty acid amides class of molecules.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PEA?

• Proven to be effective and safe in the treatment and prevention of flu and colds in six double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in over 3,000 people.
• Clinically proven to significantly reduce chronic pain without side effects.
• No negative side effects have been reported.
• No adverse interactions between PEA and regular medicines have been reported.
• Dozens of clinical trials and widely studied since the early 1970’s with excess of 500 scientific articles attributing the therapeutic effects.

It is produced in most cells in our bodies by on-demand synthesis when needed, naturally increasing in situations where cells or tissue is damaged or is under threat of damage.

PEA has a wide spectrum of benefits including:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Pain relief
• Protection and repair of the body
• Benefits to the central and peripheral nervous system

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) belongs to the endocannabinoid system, known to have both neuroprotective and immunomodulatory properties. Current evidence is indicating favourably of the therapeutic potential of endocannabinoids, including Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), in immune disorders and disease states known to entail or provoke immune responses.

PEA is increasingly being recognised as a safe and effective chronic pain relief. In one significant clinical placebo-controlled study on chronic pain involving patients with severe hernia pain, in a few weeks, PEA significantly decreased the pain from 7 to 2 on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at a daily dose of 600mg, with many subsequent studies reporting similar beneficial results.

When measuring the effectiveness of analgesia using the Number Needed to Treat (NNT) scale, PEA was compared to Amitriptylene (an antidepressant widely prescribed for pain and migraines). Amitriptylene returned an NNT of 4.6, whereas PEA returned an NNT of 1.5 for chronic pain.

In six clinical double-blind studies involving in excess than 3,000 people, PEA was shown to be safe (without side effects) and effective in the treatment and prevention of flu and colds.  PEA was shown to reduce the chance of contracting the flu by 30% to 60%, and in instances where the flu was already present, the results showed a significant reduction in the severity of the symptoms and wellbeing and the duration of the flu was significantly less than observed against the placebo controls.

PEA vs CBD

PEA indirectly activates CB1 and CB2 (Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptors). CB1 receptors are found in the Central Nervous System and CB1 and CB2 are both found in certain peripheral tissues.

What are the medical benefits of Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are the active chemicals in medical marijuana and are similar to the chemicals produced by the body that are involved in; appetite, memory, movement and pain.

Research suggests that Cannabinoids may:

• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce inflammation and relieve pain
• Control nausea and vomiting caused by Chemotherapy
• Kills cancer cells and slows tumour growth
• Relaxes muscles in MS sufferers
• Stimulates appetite to improve weight gain.

PEA is a cannabimimetic, in other words it mimics the process of CBD in the body, and can be argued that it could be considered a better alternative to CBD, Hemp cannabinoid products due it being a single molecule and subsequently much easier to measure into precise doses, not to mention the uncertainty around CBD products’ status in the supplement sector.

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is currently experiencing a huge amount of publicity and attention and with it being widely associated as a significant challenger to the CBD market.

(PEA) Palmitoylethanolamide dosages:

Initial dosage

1200mg per day, for 6 weeks

Maintenance dosage

800mg per day