Study finds PEA supplementation may reduce menstrual pain in women

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A recently published study¹ examined the effectiveness of the compound Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) in reducing menstrual pain in healthy women. PEA, as the study noted, is known for its anti-inflammatory effects, though no double-blind clinical studies on a single dose of PEA have been conducted yet on this subject. The study, “Palmitoylethanolamide (Levagen+) for acute menstrual pain: a randomized, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial,” was published in Women & Health in February 2025. The study was supported by Gencor Pacific Ltd, which supplied the PEA in the form of Levagen+. The study was conducted in Australia over several months in 2023.

In the 16-week study, 80 menstruating females with self-reported mild to moderate menstrual pain were given either the placebo or 350 mg of Levagen+ (which contained no less than 300 mg of PEA) with instructions to take the capsules once menstrual pain reached a certain threshold. A menstrual pain event was considered any day during menstruation with a score of at least 5 on the numerical rating scale (NRS). A zero is considered no pain and 10 is the worst pain. Participants were instructed to take one capsule each time a pain score of 5 was reached and then complete the NRS every 30 minutes for the next two hours. Additionally, a Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) was completed within 12 to 24 hours of consuming the product to evaluate overall satisfaction with it.

A total of 76 participants recorded at least one pain event. After ingestion of PEA, recorded menstrual pain was decreased at 1, 1.5, and 2 hours afterwards, with a reduction of at least 25% by 2.5 hours, compared with placebo.

“This study demonstrates PEA supplementation is a safe and effective option for reducing menstrual pain compared to a placebo, with significant pain reduction observed at multiple time points post-dosage,” the researchers concluded.

A totally of eight adverse events were recorded. The five adverse events were reported after taking the trial product were lower back pain, brain fog, sleepiness, dry mouth, and increased menstrual bleeding. Adverse three events associated with the placebo included hot flushes, headache and fatigue. and increased menstrual bleeding. No significant differences were reported between groups in the TSQM.

The study describes the trial product as a potentially safer and more tolerable alternative than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). “Despite its negative effect on daily life and common occurrence, menstrual pain is often perceived as a ‘normal’ facet of a woman’s menstrual cycle,” stated R.V. Venkatesh, co-founder and managing director at Gencor, in a press release. “The results of this study show that Levagen®+ can be an effective and quick-acting supplement to support women during their monthly cycles. We are excited to continue to explore how Levagen®+ can support female health.”

Reference

1. Rao, A.; Erickson, J.; Briskey, D. Palmitoylethanolamide (Levagen+) for Acute Menstrual Pain: A Randomized, Crossover, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Women & Health, 2025. DOI:10.1080/03630242.2025.2458243.