1. What is PEA?
- Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a fatty acid amide, naturally produced in the body.
- It plays a significant role in modulating pain and inflammation.
2. Source
- Synthesised from cell membrane phospholipids by an enzyme (N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D).
- Related to anandamide - a cannabinoid neurotransmitter occurring in the body, which influences many physiological functions.
- Produced by many different organs, including the brain, liver, muscle, fat tissue, intestinal tract, skin and immune cells (mast cells and macrophages).
- Formed "on demand" in response to physiological needs (inflammation, pain, immune challenges, cellular injury and stress).
3. Mechanism of Action
- Regulates inflammation and analgesia (pain relief) by activating the PPAR-α receptor (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha) which is widely distributed in tissues and cells throughout the body.
- Interacts with cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) contributing to neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.
4. Dietary PEA
- Found in various foods such as soy lecithin, soybeans, egg yolk, peanuts, and alfalfa.
- Natural form is poorly water-soluble however, hence the importance of micronisation to enhance bioavailability.
5. Safety and Tolerance
- Well-tolerated and safe, even at high doses.
6. Uses
In clinical studies PEA has been shown to help:
- Reduce itching in atopic dogs
- Alleviate knee osteoarthritis (in humans)
- Ease chronic pain conditions involving nerves, muscles, joints and other parts of the body (in humans)
- Restore soundness to lame horses who had failed to respond to previous treatment with drugs and physical therapy
- Protect nerve and cognitive function and support successful brain aging.
7. Why Supplement with PEA?
Although palmitoylethanolamide is formed naturally in the body, when chronic inflammation or pain is present, the demand for PEA can exceed the body's ability to produce it.
And when this occurs, the lack of sufficient PEA leaves the body unable to control the signs of various conditions such as atopic dermatitis or osteoarthritis, for example.
Supplementation in these circumstances, provides additional PEA to support the body's anti-inflammatory and pain relieving mechanisms, leading to an improvement in well-being.
8. The importance of micronisation
Reducing the particle size of PEA (micronisation), without altering chemical structure, significantly enhances its bioavailability, absorption by the body, efficacy and safety.
This is important in ensuring that palmitoylethanolamide delivers maximum health benefits, and is why Vince the Vet PEA is micronised.
9. Purity is key
Ensuring the end product contains only 100% natural palmitoylethanolamide, and nothing else at all, is critical for safety, efficacy and optimum potency.
This means using only the highest quality raw materials available, and excluding fillers, binders, glues and chemical additives of any kind.
It's also vital that the Certificate of Analysis confirms that heavy metal and microbe readings are well below acceptable levels, as is the case for Vince the Vet PEA:
