By Fred Cheng, R.Ph., and Christine Cheng, R.Ph.
We all experience pain in one form or another, yet it remains a puzzle for all of us. There are many supplements and medications that claim to alleviate pain, but few have garnered the interest, worldwide research and promise that “palmitoylethanolamide” (P.E.A.) has. It has been used widely as a medical food in Europe for many years, and, fortunately, has recently been approved for use in Canada.
P.E.A. is a fatty acid amide commonly found in egg yolk and plant fats such as soy lecithin and ground peanuts. The body makes it in response to stress and pain. It can act as an analgesic because the structure of P.E.A. resembles that of “anandamide”, a natural cannabinoid made in the body from “arachidonic acid”, which is released upon injury. P.E.A. is also thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect at the site of the injury by reducing the recruitment and activation of mast cells in the area. The supplement has been used in glaucoma, neuropathic pain, spasticity, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, sciatica, arthritis.
If you were to try P.E.A., be sure to set a high-enough target dose, and choose a trusted brand that carries a “Natural Product Number” (NPN) assigned and approved by Health Canada, such as AOR’s “P.E.A. Activate” (NPN: 80090272). Clinical studies show 300-1200mg daily for 60 days reduces pain in chronic pain patients, with up to a 5 fold reduction in pain every 2 weeks. A maximum dose of 1400mg daily for up to 3 months is generally safe. Although P.E.A. is very well-tolerated, with any supplement that contains a natural chemical, make sure you chat with an integrative physician or an integrative pharmacist such as the team at Pharmasave Steveston Village and Cloverdale Pharmasave before starting.”
Christine and Fred Cheng are a passionate, charismatic sister-brother pharmacist team at their unique, family-operated Pharmasave stores in Cloverdale and Steveston, B.C. They specialize in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use. Everything mentioned in their article is available InStore.
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