Efficacy of Palmitoylethanolamide for Pain: A Meta-Analysis
Meta-analysisHumans
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Subjects
- 10 randomised controlled trials, 786 patients on PEA and 512 controls; 8 trials with an inactive control entered the meta-analysis
- Dose used in the study
- Varied across trials
- Duration
- Varied across trials
- What was measured
- Weighted mean difference in visual analogue pain score against inactive control; all-cause dropout
What the authors reported
PEA reduced pain more than inactive control: weighted mean difference 2.03 points (95 percent CI 1.19 to 2.87, p < 0.001). Placebo use, blinding, concomitant treatment, dose and duration did not change the estimate. Dropout was lower on PEA but not significantly (RR 0.36, CI 0.10 to 1.26).
Limits of this study
Few trials across mixed pain conditions and designs. The authors rate the quality of the underlying studies and their side-effect reporting as often poor. Two authors are employed by a company developing PEA products.
Source
Entry checked against the abstract, supplied by Devlin on 2026-09-21. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.