Palmitoylethanolamide
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Palmitoylethanolamide (Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)) is a dietary supplement with 3 published peer-reviewed studies involving 774 participants, researched for Pain Management, Neuropathic Pain & Inflammation.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Pain Management
ModerateNeuropathic Pain & Inflammation
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Pain Management
To evaluate palmitoylethanolamide effectiveness in chronic pain management
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To evaluate palmitoylethanolamide effectiveness in chronic pain management
Dose
Various PEA preparations (300-2000 mg/day typical)
Participants
Meta-analysis of 11 RCTs, combined 774 patients
Duration
6-26 weeks across studies
Results
Pooled analysis favored PEA over control with average pain intensity reduction of 1.68 (p=0.00001). Significant at 6, 8, and 24-26 weeks.
How They Measured It
Pain intensity reduction on standardized 11-point scale
To assess palmitoylethanolamide for chronic pain in double-blind RCTs
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To assess palmitoylethanolamide for chronic pain in double-blind RCTs
Dose
Various PEA doses tested
Participants
Meta-analysis of double-blind RCTs
Duration
Various
Results
PEA effective for all pain types: nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic. Safe with no major side effects attributed to PEA.
How They Measured It
Pain reduction across multiple pain types
Neuropathic Pain & Inflammation
To evaluate ultra-fine powdered PEA on pain intensity and sleep quality in neuropathic pain patients
Study Type
Open-label randomized controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate ultra-fine powdered PEA on pain intensity and sleep quality in neuropathic pain patients
Dose
Ultra-fine PEA powder
Participants
Patients with neuropathic pain due to carpal tunnel syndrome
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Ultra-fine PEA significantly improved pain relief and sleep quality in carpal tunnel syndrome neuropathic pain.
How They Measured It
Pain intensity, sleep quality scores
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Palmitoylethanolamide research
There are currently 9 peer-reviewed studies on Palmitoylethanolamide (Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)), involving 774 total participants. Research covers Pain relief, Anti-inflammatory, Neuroprotection. The overall evidence strength is rated as Moderate.
The evidence is currently rated as "Moderate Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (3 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Palmitoylethanolamide has been researched for: Pain relief, Anti-inflammatory, Neuroprotection. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 3 out of 9 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
