Biomarkers of response to alpha-lipoic acid ± palmitoiletanolamide treatment in patients with diabetes and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy
Observational studyHumansWith alpha-lipoic acid (all treated patients received it; PEA was added in some)
This study tested palmitoylethanolamide together with alpha-lipoic acid (all treated patients received it; PEA was added in some). Its results cannot be assigned to palmitoylethanolamide alone. More combination studies.
- Design
- Observational study
- Subjects
- 49 people with diabetes and a Neuropathy Symptoms Score of 3 or more: 30 treated with alpha-lipoic acid with or without PEA, 19 untreated
- Dose used in the study
- Alpha-lipoic acid 600 mg/day by mouth, with or without palmitoylethanolamide 600 mg/day by mouth
- Duration
- Follow-up after 98 plus or minus 46 days
- What was measured
- Neuropathy Symptoms Score at baseline and follow-up; days to symptom relief; relation to clinical and biochemical variables
What the authors reported
This observational study found:
- NSS fell in treated patients from 5.4 to 1.7 (p<0.001) but not in untreated patients (p=0.164).
- Mean time to relief was 18.4 plus or minus 9.0 days.
- Faster relief correlated with higher HDL cholesterol (r=-0.503) and higher eGFR (r=-0.428); age, HbA1c, lipids and baseline severity did not relate.
Limits of this study
A retrospective, unblinded pilot without randomisation. Results pool alpha-lipoic acid alone with alpha-lipoic acid plus PEA, so PEA's own contribution cannot be separated. Funding and conflicts not stated in the abstract.
Source
PubMed 30949911 · doi:10.1007/s12020-019-01917-w
Entry checked against the abstract on PubMed on 2026-09-22. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.