PEA
Find PEA, palmitoylethanolamide, in capsules, powder and liposomal liquid. We explain how micronised and ultra-micronised forms differ, what dose per capsule is usual and what you can realistically expect.Read more →
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Palmitoylethanolamide: forms, doses and what you can expect
PEA stands for palmitoylethanolamide. It is a fatty acid amide, a fat-like molecule your own cells produce, mostly when tissue is under strain. Small amounts sit in food such as egg yolk, peanuts, soya lecithin and olive oil. Because it is a fat and not a vitamin, you will find it here with the other fatty acids in our range.
One point up front. In the UK and the EU there is no authorised health claim for palmitoylethanolamide. So no shop, ours included, may tell you what PEA does for a complaint, and we will not. What we can explain is the material itself: purity, how finely it is milled, how many milligrams a capsule holds and how people usually take it.
Particle size sets the products apart
PEA barely dissolves in water, so milling matters. Unprocessed, or naive, PEA has very coarse crystals. Micronised PEA is milled down to a few micrometres and ultra-micronised finer still, which helps it dissolve faster in the gut. A third route uses a carrier: dispersion technology or a liposomal liquid, where the PEA is wrapped in a thin fat layer so it mixes with stomach fluid. Branded raw materials such as Levagen+ and OptiPEA follow that logic, and they are the forms most often used in published human research.
When you compare labels, four things decide what you are actually buying:
- Milligrams of PEA per capsule, usually 300, 400 or 600
- The form: naive, micronised, ultra-micronised or liposomal
- Whether a named material such as Levagen+ or OptiPEA is on the label
- The capsule shell and fillers, which matters if you eat vegan
Many people meet PEA while comparing it with drops containing CBD. The two are not related. PEA holds no cannabinoids and nothing from hemp, and it is made in the body itself.
It is also not a fish oil. PEA supplies no EPA or DHA, so it does not replace omega-3 oils in your routine.
How we select PEA
We keep this category small and checkable. Three things decide what we stock: the form, the dose per capsule and whether a combination makes sense. We prefer material that names itself, micronised, ultra-micronised or a branded ingredient such as Levagen+, because coarse PEA dissolves poorly. We would rather list 300 to 600 mg per capsule than a thin dose that asks you to swallow five. We buy directly from the brands, our compliance team checks every label before it goes live, and independent labs spot-check batches. This is the advice we would give our own mother: how we select our brands.
Who this suits, and what to expect
PEA suits people who want to know exactly what is in a capsule and who take a supplement steadily rather than now and then. Powder is useful if you weigh your own dose and want a lower price per gram. Capsules are easier to keep up daily, which is the part that decides most outcomes.
Be realistic about the timeline. PEA is not a quick-acting product, and most users and studies work with two to four weeks of consistent use before drawing a conclusion. Labels advise against use under 18 and during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and ask you to check with your doctor if you take medication. Within those limits it is a well-tolerated, clearly defined ingredient, which is exactly why we carry it.
Frequently asked questions
PEA is short for palmitoylethanolamide, a fatty acid amide. That means a fat-like molecule with a small nitrogen group attached. Your own cells make it, and production rises when tissue is under strain. You also take in traces through food, for example egg yolk, peanuts, soya lecithin and olive oil. In supplements it is sold as a powder in capsules, as loose powder or as a liposomal liquid, where the PEA is wrapped in a thin fat layer.
No, and this is the most common mix-up in this category. Pea protein is a protein powder made from yellow peas, used for protein intake. PEA in this collection is the abbreviation of palmitoylethanolamide, a fat-like molecule, dosed in a few hundred milligrams rather than in grams. It is a different product group entirely. If you are looking for protein powder, our sport range is the right place, not this page.
Most PEA on the market is made from plant fats. Suppliers commonly start from palm-derived palmitic acid, some from safflower seed, and the material is then bound to ethanolamine. The result is identical to the molecule your body makes. So the powder itself is usually suitable for vegans, but the capsule shell decides the final answer: a plant-based shell such as HPMC is vegan, gelatine is not. Check the label, or filter our vegan selection.
PEA is almost insoluble in water, so particle size is the practical difference between products. Finer particles have more surface area and dissolve faster in the gut. Dispersed and liposomal versions take another route and use a carrier so the powder mixes with stomach fluid.
| Form | Particle size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Naive, unprocessed | 100 to 2000 µm | Coarse crystals |
| Micronised | 2 to 10 µm | Jet-milled powder |
| Ultra-micronised | 0.8 to 6 µm | Finest milling |
| Dispersed or liposomal | Carrier-based | Mixes with water |
Products on the UK market usually hold 300, 400 or 600 mg per capsule, and published human research most often works within a range of roughly 300 to 1200 mg per day, split over one or two moments. There is no nutrient reference value for PEA, because it is not a vitamin or mineral, so labels show the amount without a percentage. Follow the dose on the pack and do not exceed it.
PEA is fat-soluble and dissolves poorly in water, so taking it with a meal that contains some fat is sensible. With dispersed or liposomal forms this matters less, since the carrier already does part of that work. Splitting a daily amount over morning and evening keeps intake more even than one large dose. The main thing is consistency: a fixed moment in your day beats perfect timing.
Not in a day. PEA is not a fast-acting product, and both regular users and study protocols generally work with two to four weeks of daily use before drawing conclusions, sometimes longer. Buy one full pack rather than a small trial pot, take it at the same time each day, and note how you feel at the start and after four weeks. If nothing has changed by then, it is fair to stop.
PEA is a single, well-defined ingredient, which makes it easy to fit into an existing routine. In practice people often take it next to magnesium, collagen or products with curcumin. We list those separately on purpose, so you can adjust one thing at a time and see what it does. We do not make combination claims: none of these ingredients has an authorised claim that covers a combined effect.
Labels on PEA products in the UK advise against use by anyone under 18 and during pregnancy or breastfeeding, because there is not enough data for those groups. If you take prescribed medication, or you are being treated for an ongoing condition, discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist first. A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied diet or for treatment, and PEA is no exception. Stop use if you notice you do not tolerate it.
