Chronic Pain?

PEA could be an option worth considering

It’s estimated that the number of people suffering with chronic pain exceeds the numbers suffering from heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. It’s a massive problem for our health system. Opioid drugs are extremely addictive and are associated with many deaths. They are being over-prescribed to the point where news articles talk of the opioid epidemic. Even simple over-the-counter pain relief medications can have very undesirable consequences when used inappropriately.

While opioids are effective for acute pain, they fall short when it comes to chronic pain because they only act in a portion of the pain cycle. Acute and chronic pain are very different and require a different therapeutic approach. Chronic pain involves both peripheral inflammation at the site of an injury and central amplification of the pain stimulus in the brain. Chronic pain can be like living a nightmare.
A safe alternative is urgently needed, and it seems that a simple side-effect-free non-toxic fatty acid that is made in the body could be just that. Scientists have discovered that PEA (Palmitoylethanolomide – "pal mit oil ethanol o mide") can over time, turn off the pain signal and when combined with another substance Honokiol (an extract from magnolia bark) the effect may be further enhanced.
PEA doesn’t work on opioid receptors and thus addiction is not a problem. PEA can be taken safely with other pain relievers and it can be taken long term. Researchers have demonstrated that PEA down-regulates distinct inflammatory and oxidative pathways and it has been shown to be particularly effective for neuropathic pain.
A study involving 636 patients with sciatic pain were assigned to receive 300mgs of PEA, 600mgs of PEA, or a placebo.  After three weeks both groups of people taking PEA experienced significantly better pain reduction and quality of life scores compared to placebo recipients. Those taking the higher dose had the most improved outcomes.
To gain an insight into the overall effectiveness of a treatment, researchers often estimate how many people would need to be treated in order to achieve a 50% reduction in pain.  
This number is known as ‘numbers needed to treat' (NNT). Any number below 5 indicates a useful pain intervention. In the above study the NNT was just under 3 by the second week and by week three it was down to 1.5 meaning that nearly everyone benefitted.
In a small study, 20 patients with migraines were given 1,200 mgs of PEA. They were monitored over a period of 30, 60 and 90 days. At 60 days PEA supplemented patients experienced significant improvement in pain levels and this continued until the 90 day follow-up.  These patients were using NSAIDs at the onset of an acute attack. At 90 days, researchers documented a reduction in the number of attacks and patients were able to reduce the dosage of the drugs.
It seems that PEA might also be helpful for quenching neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s disease. Thirty patients with advanced Parkinson’s who were being treated with the drug Levodopa were given a battery of tests before and after daily supplementation with 1,200 mgs of PEA. They were followed for a year and researchers reported a significant and progressive reduction in both motor and non-motor symptoms. Large trials will be necessary but initial results are very promising.
PEA is not a drug and an immediate response to treatment should not be anticipated. My own research suggests that maximum benefit is likely to be achieved after four to six weeks of supplementation. I like the idea of the combination of PEA with Honokiol. It’s an option that you might discuss with your doctor. There is nothing to lose by giving it a try.


John Appleton (09) 489 9362  
appletonassoc@xtra.co.nz   www.johnappleton.co.nz