PEA for Pain Relief

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a naturally occurring fatty acid amide produced ‘on demand’ by most body’s cells and tissues in response to stressful stimuli such as peripheral tissue inflammation, neuroinflammation and pain.

PEA has been extensively studied for its activity in a broad range of conditions, including neurological disorders, inflammatory diseases and pain states.[1] Practitioners may consider prescribing PEA for:

·        Musculoskeletal conditions (e.g. osteoarthritis, sciatica, low back pain)

·        Neuropathic pain (e.g. shingles, diabetic neuropathic pain)

·        Nervous system disorders (e.g. depression, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cognitive decline) and

·        Other pain states (e.g. migraine, upper respiratory tract infections, and adjunctive therapy for chronic pelvic pain).

PEA’s anti-inflammatory effects relate primarily to its ability to modulate mast cell activation and degranulation (via autocoid local inflammation antagonism) and to control microglial cell behaviour.[1] While PEA acts via multiple mechanisms, it is thought its main target is PPAR-α, the master switch for a large number of genes activating inflammatory cascades.[2]

PEA also represents a suitable addition to standard analgesic medications, opening up a new therapeutic avenue for patients suffering chronic and debilitating pain.

[1] Petrosino S, Di Marzo V. The pharmacology of palmitoylethanolamide and first data on the therapeutic efficacy of some of its new formulations. British J Pharmacology. 2017 Jun;174(11):1349-65. DOI:10.1111/bph.13580

[2] Alshelh Z, Mills E, Kosanovic D, Di Pietro F, Macey P, Vickers ER, et al. Effects of the glial modulator palmitoylethanolamide on chronic pain intensity and brain function. JPR. 2019 Aug;12:2427-39. DOI:10.2147/jpr.s20965