We have been interested in this molecule for years and have used in our allergy patients (it has well-documented mast cell stabilizing properties), in our pain patients and as influenza treatment and prophylaxis. In this most recent COVID19 pandemic, I think PEA is worth considering, although we recognize the mechanisms of infectivity of influenza and COVID19 do not completely overlap. The best review I’ve read on PEA is a free, full text by Hesselink, et al 2013
Quoting the authors discussing influenza research:
“The results from the first trial showed that patients receiving PEA had a lower number of episodes of fever, headache, and sore throat, compared with placebo patients (18 versus 33). PEA had less effect on symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, discharge, and cough. The episodes of fever and pain were significantly reduced by 45.5% in the PEA group compared with the placebo group. The beneficial effect of PEA was apparent from the second week of the trial. The total number of sickness days was also significantly reduced in the PEA group. In the prophylactic trial, Masek 1972b, the incidence of disease in the PEA group was 40% lower at week 6, and 32% lower at week 8 compared to placebo.”
(Incidentally, I was pretty happy to learn that Metagenics Hemp Plus has 300mg of PEA per cap. Prior to this, we were generally ordering our PEA direct from Europe)
Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first Counsel on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine. With the Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. The first publication from the study focuses on reversal of biological aging and was published 04-12-2021 in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book titled Younger You as well as a companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics and has an application-based Younger You Program, based on the study.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
Additional publications
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