Supplementation with a PEA (palmitoylethanolamide) ingredient marketed by Gencor as Levagen + might reduce allergy symptoms, a new study published in Nutrients found.
 
Researchers in this study hypothesized that because seasonal allergy symptoms are caused by histamine release and antigen-specific immunoglobulin E inflammation, PEA might be an alternative to allergy medications, as it can downregulate mast cell activation, and increase synthesis of endocannabinoid 2-rachidonoylglycerol to reduce histamine.
 
The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trail included 101 participants with seasonal allergies and were supplemented with either 350 mg of PEA or a placebo daily for two weeks. Symptom scores were recorded using the reflective total nasal symptom score (rTNSS) twice daily, in the morning and evening, for two weeks. Blood was taken at baseline and at week two.
 
Compared to the control group, the Levagen + group saw a significant reduction in plasma histamine levels compared to the placebo, with a decrease in allergy symptoms like a blocked nose, suggesting that Levagen + helps mitigate seasonal allergies. The Levagen + group had a significant decrease from baseline in histamine, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-alpha, all of which are inflammatory markers.
 
“The outcome of this study further backs PEA’s published mechanisms of action showing its ability to impact histamine and inflammatory markers,” said R.V. Venkatesh, co-founder and managing director at Gencor. “Seasonal allergies impact nearly 40% of the global population, and this study shows Levagen + to be a strong supplement to help ease common indicators of allergies.”