PEA
PEA in SciatiEase
PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) in SciatiEase is 500 mg per 4-capsule serving and 250 mg per 2 capsules. It is a fat-based compound the body makes. In one 636-person sciatica trial, 300 or 600 mg a day for 3 weeks lowered pain scores more than placebo. No trial has tested SciatiEase itself.
Written by the SciatiEase label deskUpdated
First stop01
What is palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)?
Palmitoylethanolamide, or PEA, is a fatty compound your own cells make, and it is the largest single ingredient in SciatiEase. Chemists call it a fatty-acid amide. It sits in many tissues, including nerve tissue, and the body makes more of it when tissue is stressed.
Researchers have studied PEA as a pain supplement for years. Most studies look at back pain and pinched nerves.
In the U.S., PEA is sold as a dietary supplement, not as a pain medicine.
| Name on the label | Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) |
|---|---|
| What it is | A fatty-acid amide the body makes (AlphaPalm Blend) |
| Group on the panel | AlphaPalm Blend |
| Amount per 4 capsules (label serving) | 500 mg |
| Amount per 2 capsules | 250 mg |
| % Daily Value | No DV |
| Amount used in research | 300-600 mg a day in a sciatica trial |
| Strength of evidence | Positive small trials of variable quality |
| Marketed or traditional use | Studied for sciatica and back pain |
| Main caution | Few side effects reported in trials. |
On the label02
How much PEA is in SciatiEase?
SciatiEase has 500 mg of PEA in every 4-capsule serving, or 125 mg in each capsule. The amount is printed inside the “AlphaPalm Blend 750 mg”, next to 250 mg of R-alpha lipoic acid.
Your daily PEA depends on how many capsules you take. Two capsules give 250 mg. Four give the full 500 mg.
| Routine | Capsules a day | PEA a day | Bottle lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official site | 2 | 250 mg | 60 days |
| Label serving | 4 | 500 mg | 30 days |
| Sales page (2 + 2) | 4 | 500 mg | 30 days |
Every other line on the bottle is typed out on the SciatiEase supplement facts page.
Research03
Does PEA help sciatica, according to studies?
PEA has the best sciatica data of any SciatiEase ingredient, though the evidence is still small and uneven. One large trial and one pooled review point the same way: lower pain scores than placebo.
The trial enrolled 636 adults with sciatic pain from a pinched nerve root. They took 300 mg, 600 mg or a dummy pill each day for 3 weeks. With 600 mg, average pain on a 10-point scale fell from 7.1 to 2.1. With placebo it fell from 6.6 to 4.6 (Keppel Hesselink, J Pain Res 2015).
A later look at the same data found that fewer than two people needed to take 600 mg for one extra person to get a clear pain benefit (Cruccu et al., PEA sciatica 2019). A meta-analysis of 10 trials also found lower pain with PEA, but the authors called the trials few and of variable quality (Artukoglu et al., Pain Physician 2017).
| Study | Who and how much | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Sciatica trial (Keppel Hesselink, J Pain Res 2015) | 636 adults, 300 or 600 mg a day, 3 weeks | Both doses beat placebo; 600 mg beat 300 mg |
| Reanalysis (Cruccu et al., PEA sciatica 2019) | Same trial, micronized PEA 600 mg | Number needed to treat of 1.7 for pain |
| Meta-analysis (Artukoglu et al., Pain Physician 2017) | 10 trials, 786 people on PEA | Lower pain than controls; trial quality varied |
The sciatica trial used micronized PEA, ground into very fine particles. The SciatiEase label says only “Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)” and does not name a form, so the trial results may not carry over one for one.
Dose check04
Is the PEA dose in SciatiEase enough for sciatica?
At 4 capsules, the 500 mg of PEA sits inside the 300-600 mg range from the sciatica trial; at 2 capsules it falls below it.
The trial's best result came from 600 mg, so 500 mg lands between its two arms. At 250 mg a day, the official site's routine gives less than the low arm.
PEA is the only main SciatiEase ingredient that reaches a studied range. R-alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine and benfotiamine all sit below theirs.
2 capsules
250 mg of PEA. That is 83% of the 300 mg low dose and well short of 600 mg.
4 capsules
500 mg of PEA. Above the low dose and five-sixths of the higher one.
Safety05
Is PEA safe, and does it interact with medicines?
PEA looks well tolerated in trials so far, with no dropouts from side effects in the sciatica study. Still, the review authors said side effects were poorly tracked across trials (Artukoglu et al., Pain Physician 2017) (Keppel Hesselink, J Pain Res 2015).
Our sources list no major drug interactions for PEA, which is not proof of none. Tell your pharmacist about it and every other supplement (FDA, Mixing Medications and Supplements).
The other 11 lines carry their own cautions, such as vitamin B6 at 20 mg a serving.
A PEA capsule is not a swap for a prescribed pain or nerve medicine. Keep every dose on schedule, and talk to the prescriber before you change anything.
The warning panel is not in the images we have; follow the bottle you receive. The full safety list is on the SciatiEase side effects page.
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See packsAsk first06
Who should ask a doctor before taking PEA?
Anyone pregnant, nursing, under 18, or taking several daily medicines should ask a doctor before starting a PEA supplement.
The trials did not study those groups closely, so there is little data to go on.
- Pregnant or nursing: PEA safety data in pregnancy are thin.
- On a blood thinner, a sedative or gabapentin: the herb blend in SciatiEase matters here.
- Sciatica longer than 4 weeks: that is the point to call your doctor, supplement or not (MedlinePlus, Sciatica).
- New numbness in the groin, leg weakness, or bladder or bowel changes: get emergency care now.
Simple steps such as heat and staying active come first for new back and leg pain. See sciatica self-care.
What the brand says07
What do the SciatiEase sales page and official site say about PEA?
The official site's chart lists 600 mg of PEA, but the Supplement Facts panel says 500 mg per 4 capsules, and we follow the panel. The chart also lists R-ALA and ALCAR at 300 mg each, while the panel prints 250 mg for both (SciatiEase official site).
The two sources also differ on capsules. The sales page says 2 with breakfast and 2 more with dinner (SciatiEase sales page). The official site says 2 a day, morning or night, yet calls a bottle a 30-day supply. With 120 capsules, 30 days only works at 4 a day; at 2 a day a bottle lasts 60.
The sales page never names PEA amounts. It leans on lines such as “a very specific nerve vitamin” instead, which is a curious label for PEA, since PEA is not a vitamin.
Next stops08
Which other SciatiEase ingredients work alongside PEA?
PEA shares the AlphaPalm Blend with R-alpha lipoic acid, and the rest of the formula adds B vitamins, acetyl-L-carnitine, benfotiamine and four herbs. Each has its own page with the same label-first layout.
Next on the line: R-alpha lipoic acid, PEA's partner in the blend, or the full SciatiEase ingredients guide.
FAQ09
PEA questions, answered
Is 500 mg of PEA enough for sciatica?
It falls inside the range one sciatica trial used. That trial gave 300 or 600 mg a day for 3 weeks, and both beat placebo, with 600 mg doing best (Keppel Hesselink, J Pain Res 2015). Four SciatiEase capsules hold 500 mg. No trial has tested SciatiEase itself.
How much PEA is in 2 SciatiEase capsules?
Two capsules hold 250 mg of PEA, half the 500 mg in the 4-capsule label serving, because each capsule carries 125 mg. At 250 mg a day you sit below the 300 mg low dose that the main sciatica trial tested.
Is the PEA in SciatiEase micronized?
The label does not say. It lists only “Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)”. The sciatica trial and its later reanalysis used micronized PEA (Cruccu et al., PEA sciatica 2019), so call the SciatiEase order desk at +1 (844) 361-1273 and ask if the particle form matters to you.
Why does the official site list 600 mg of PEA?
Its comparison chart says 600 mg, but the Supplement Facts panel on the bottle prints 500 mg per 4 capsules. The panel is the legal label, so we follow it. Check the panel on the bottle you receive, since that is the one that counts.
How long did PEA take to work in the sciatica study?
The main trial measured pain over 3 weeks, and scores with 600 mg dropped from 7.1 to 2.1 on a 10-point scale by the end (Keppel Hesselink, J Pain Res 2015). That is one study of one PEA product, and results in daily life can differ from trial results.
Is PEA a vitamin?
No. PEA is a fatty-acid amide your body makes on its own, not a vitamin, and it has no Daily Value. The four B vitamins in SciatiEase are separate lines on the panel, each with its own amount and percentage.
Does PEA cause drowsiness?
Drowsiness is not a known PEA side effect in our sources, and no one left the sciatica trial because of side effects (Keppel Hesselink, J Pain Res 2015). Passionflower in the SciatiEase herb blend can cause drowsiness, though, so take care driving the first few days.
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the official site, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a SciatiEase authorized U.S. retailer, not by the manufacturer. We are paid a commission when you buy through our order links.
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