Many nutrients deliver safe and effective options for pain relief, mental well-being, and overall vitality. But I think that two of the most helpful are the palmitoylethanolamide, also known as PEA, and the enzyme serratiopeptidase.
Working together, these nutrients influence multiple pathways in the body and mind for an impressive range of positive effects, including:
- Relief of acute and chronic pain
- Better physical recovery from injuries, intensive workouts, and surgery
- Reduced systemic inflammation
- Strengthened immune response
- Improved mood, focus, and cognition
Stop Inflammation and Pain
Many nutrients can reduce pain, improve mood, and inhibit inflammation throughout the brain and body. But two that I highly recommend are palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and serratiopeptidase. Working as a team, they can stop inflammation and pain, enhance your state of mind, and help you recover faster from workouts, surgery, and injuries.
PALMITOYLETHANOLAMIDE (PEA):
A Must for Mind and Body
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is found in egg yolks and other foods and can be synthesized in the body from palmitic acid, found in meats, cheeses, and butter. Research shows this endocannabinoid-like nutrient has incredible potential to address muscle pain and recovery, arthritis symptoms, mobility, cognitive health, and mental plasticity, plus a multitude of other concerns including allergic and respiratory symptoms, and the lingering effects of COVID-19 or fibromyalgia.
Pain and Inflammation
Because of the anti-inflammatory actions of PEA, researchers have investigated its ability to relieve pain in a variety of conditions, including sciatica, osteoarthritis, neuropathy, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, just to name a few. So, if you want to stay active, recover faster, remain physically strong, and age with vitality, I think it’s one of the best nutrients to add to your regimen.
In a clinical study of individuals with sciatic nerve compression, a cause of chronic lower back pain, PEA at two dosage levels, 300 mg and 600 mg daily, was compared to a placebo for three weeks. By the end of that test period, the higher dosage of PEA at 600 mg daily was a clear winner, reducing pain significantly.
There is clinical work showing that PEA may be useful for maintaining lean muscle mass and protein synthesis as we get older, all while reducing pain. And, unlike prescription or over-the-counter drugs, it doesn’t interfere with muscle maintenance or injure the liver or stomach.
Plus, in scientific research on osteoarthritis, PEA lowered levels of inflammatory markers, slowed damage to cartilage, and reduced knee swelling.
For chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP), a slowmoving form of neuropathy that causes a “pins and needles” sensation and greatly affects mobility, PEA is an effective intervention. One clinic reported using PEA at relatively high doses of 1200 mg per day for two weeks to reduce pain by 30 to 50 percent, and in some cases, PEA reduced pain by 50 percent in just one week. They also found that PEA could be recommended alongside standard pain relievers or as a stand-alone medicine.
The discomfort and lack of jaw mobility of TMJ makes eating and speaking difficult, causes intense headaches and stress, and creates a feedback loop of yet even more occurrences of TMJ. For relief, many people simply use over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen, but that takes a toll on the kidneys and stomach lining. Fortunately, a clinical study found PEA relieved pain more effectively than ibuprofen and improved maximum jaw opening, showing it relaxed muscles in the jaw better than the drug.
Cognitive and Mood
While PEA isn’t quite classified as an endocannabinoid when synthesized in the body, it does help preserve levels of anandamide, one of the key endocannabinoids responsible for positive mood, focus, and cognition.
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) were divided into two groups: one receiving 600 mg of PEA plus citalopram (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor commonly prescribed for depression) or a placebo (a substance that has no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new therapies) plus citalopram. The combination with PEA was effective even within the first two weeks, and by the end of the six-week study, 100 percent of the participants in the combined PEA and drug group saw a reduction in their symptoms versus 74 percent of those in the placebo and drug group.
PEA has also been investigated for its ability to relieve symptoms and restore the sense of smell in those suffering from long COVID. In part, this is because of the actions PEA has on mast cell release (as seen in allergy triggers) and its ability to shift microglial cells—immune cells in the central nervous system—from a pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory mode. The result is less inflammatory damage to the olfactory bulb and the nerve and brain signals that recognize smells.
Scientific studies have found that PEA preserves brain cells, stops oxidative stress, improves motor skills, and enhances cognition in models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
SERRATIOPEPTIDASE: One Enzyme with Many Names and Many Uses
The proteolytic enzyme serratiopeptidase, (also known as serrapeptase, serralysin, serratia-protease, or serrapeptidase) has a wide range of uses and is an excellent partner to PEA to stop pain and speed recovery.
Serratiopeptidase Fights Pain and Inflammation
The use of serratiopeptidase as an anti-inflammatory was first formally investigated by researchers in Japan in 1957. Within a couple of decades of use, serratiopeptidase became a widely popular supplement in Japan and Europe.
Serratiopeptidase binds to COX-2 and suppresses the release of inflammatory prostaglandins and interleukins, so its effect is much like a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), but without causing liver, kidney, or stomach damage.
Serratiopeptidase has been recommended in cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, after dental surgery to reduce swelling, and for post-operative pain following ligament surgery. It reduces swelling at the sites of injury, so it speeds recovery time, too. In fact, in patients recovering from ankle ligament surgery, researchers noted a 50 percent reduction in swelling in just three days.
ABSORPTION DELIVERS RESULTS: The Gamma Cyclodextrin Difference
While both PEA and serratiopeptidase are well studied, large dosages are often a feature of those studies because each nutrient can be difficult for the body to absorb. But that doesn’t have to be the case. One of the best ways of ensuring absorption is by combining these nutrients with gamma cyclodextrin.
Gamma cyclodextrin has been shown to increase the absorption of certain hard-to-absorb (fat-soluble) dietary ingredients. A plant-based oligosaccharide, gamma cyclodextrin surrounds hard-to-absorb and fat-soluble ingredients in an open-ended microscopic structure, the exterior of which is water-soluble, helping to escort the nutrients through the lining of the intestines and into the bloodstream.
Speeds Wound Healing
Serratiopeptidase is a perfect choice for anyone with an active lifestyle or physically demanding job because, in addition to reducing inflammation, it helps injuries heal faster. Because the enzyme travels to the site of wounds and due to its proteolytic activity, it dissolves dead tissue around the wound (without harming healthy tissue), improves circulation that feeds new tissue growth, and, ultimately, speeds up the repair process.
Like PEA, serratiopeptidase has a strong ability to moderate inflammation, so it has many uses. It relieves symptoms from respiratory conditions, dissolves abnormal clots in blood vessels and protects them from damage, and improves the quality of life for individuals with pulmonary fibrosis. It has also been shown to relieve pain and swelling in women who are breastfeeding and has been investigated for its potential to break up beta-amyloid plaques in the brain and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
A Nutrient Team You Need
PEA and serratiopeptidase will help you get the most from your days, mentally and physically. Start adding them to your regimen, and you’ll see better results from your workouts, smoother recovery from injuries, and benefits for your state of mind.
When in doubt, always consult your physician or healthcare practitioner. This article is intended to provide you with information to maintain your health.