pea-guide

Vitality Supplements · Ingredient Guide

What is PEA?

A plain-English guide to palmitoylethanolamide (PEA): what this naturally occurring fatty-acid molecule is, how the body makes it, where supplement PEA comes from, what micronisation and ultra-micronisation actually mean, and exactly how to judge a PEA supplement on dose and purity. No hype, and no health claims.

Last updated June 2026 · Written by Vitality Supplements Editorial Team · ~2,400 words · 10 min read
Food supplement information — not medical advice
UK manufacturedISO/IEC 17025 batch testedSingle active no fillers600mg per serving
The short version

PEA in one minute

PEA stands for palmitoylethanolamide. It is a fatty-acid amide — a lipid molecule the body produces on demand, and which also occurs in trace amounts in foods such as egg yolk, soybeans and peanuts. It belongs to a family of compounds called N-acylethanolamines.

Because PEA has no authorised UK or EU health claims, the only things worth comparing between products are factual: the dose (in mg), whether it is micronised or ultra-micronised, whether it is a single active ingredient, and whether an independent lab has verified it. Vitality PEA is 600mg of micronised palmitoylethanolamide per serving, as a single active ingredient with no fillers.

A fatty-acid amide the body makes on demand — and that supplements provide as a single, purified molecule.
The molecule

What palmitoylethanolamide actually is

Break the name apart and it stops being intimidating: palmitoyl (from palmitic acid, a common fatty acid) plus ethanolamide (an ethanolamine group). Put together, it is a fatty acid joined to an ethanolamine — a simple, naturally occurring lipid.

A fatty-acid amide
A lipid, not a vitamin. PEA is built from palmitic acid and ethanolamine, which is why it is described as a fatty-acid amide.
N-acylethanolamine family
A known group. PEA sits in the N-acylethanolamine family of signalling lipids, alongside other endogenous fatty-acid amides.
Made on demand
Produced by the body. Cells synthesise PEA from membrane lipids as needed, rather than storing it in bulk.
Found in foods
In trace amounts. Egg yolk, soybeans and peanuts contain small quantities, far below a supplemental serving.
Particle size

What micronisation actually means

PEA is a fat-like powder that does not dissolve readily in water. Micronisation mills the raw material into much smaller particles, and ultra-micronisation smaller still. Smaller particles mean a larger total surface area, which is the property manufacturers describe when they talk about dissolution. These terms describe the physical processing of the powder — they are not health claims.

  • Standard PEA — unmilled or coarsely milled; the largest particle size.
  • Micronised (PEA-m) — milled to a smaller, more uniform particle size.
  • Ultra-micronised (PEA-um) — milled finer again, the smallest grade.
  • Surface area — smaller particles expose more surface area to fluids.
  • What to check — a label that states the grade is being transparent about what you are buying.
The grades

Standard, micronised & ultra-micronised

You will see PEA sold in three grades. The difference is purely particle size — the molecule itself is identical. Here is how they compare, factually.

Standard
Largest particles. The least processed grade. Cheapest to produce; the grade least often specified on labels.
Micronised
Milled finer. A smaller, more uniform particle size. This is the grade in Vitality PEA, stated plainly.
Ultra-micronised
The finest grade. Milled smaller still. Often marketed with the most premium positioning.
The same molecule
Chemistry unchanged. All three are the same palmitoylethanolamide; only the physical particle size differs.
Where it comes from

Source & suitability

Supplement PEA is manufactured to a consistent purity rather than extracted from food, where it appears only in tiny amounts. That has practical consequences for who it suits.

  • Manufactured for purity — produced as a single, consistent molecule rather than extracted from foods.
  • Suitable for vegans and vegetarians — it is not derived from animal tissue.
  • Single active — Vitality PEA is just palmitoylethanolamide, with no fillers or blends.
  • Capsule shell — a plant-based HPMC capsule.
  • Naturally occurring — the same molecule the body already makes on demand.
Clearing it up

What PEA is not

PEA gets confused with several other things. Worth clearing up, because the differences are real.

Not a cannabinoid
Not CBD or THC. PEA is a fatty-acid amide. It is studied alongside the body's lipid-signalling systems, but it is not a cannabinoid and is not derived from cannabis.
Not a medicine
A food supplement. PEA sold as a supplement is a food supplement, not a licensed medicine, and we make no medical claims for it.
Not a vitamin
A lipid. It is not a vitamin or a mineral; it is a fatty-acid amide the body produces itself.
Not a blend
A single molecule. Genuine PEA is one purified compound, not a proprietary blend of several ingredients.
How to choose

How to read a PEA label

Because no health claims are authorised for PEA (more on that in our companion guide), the only things you can meaningfully compare are factual:

  • Dose in mg — how much PEA per serving, stated clearly, not buried in a blend.
  • Grade stated — micronised or ultra-micronised, named on the label.
  • Single active — PEA on its own, not padded with fillers or a proprietary blend.
  • Independently tested — a third-party lab confirming identity and purity, with a Certificate of Analysis.
  • Capsule type — Vitality PEA uses a vegetarian HPMC shell.
For reference, Vitality PEA is 600mg of micronised palmitoylethanolamide per serving — a single active, batch tested.
Common questions

PEA FAQ

PEA stands for palmitoylethanolamide, a naturally occurring fatty-acid amide in the N-acylethanolamine family. It should not be confused with the unrelated stimulant phenylethylamine, which is sometimes also abbreviated PEA.
The PEA in our product is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, as it is not derived from animal tissue, and the capsule shell is plant-based HPMC.
The difference is particle size. Micronisation mills the powder to a smaller, more uniform particle; ultra-micronisation mills it finer still. The molecule itself is identical in both; only the physical grade differs.
No. PEA is a fatty-acid amide, not a cannabinoid, and it is not derived from cannabis. It is studied alongside the body's lipid-signalling systems but is a distinct compound from CBD or THC.
600mg of micronised palmitoylethanolamide per serving, as a single active ingredient with no fillers, with the amount printed plainly on the label.
Yes. The body produces PEA on demand from membrane lipids, and it is also present in trace amounts in foods such as egg yolk, soybeans and peanuts, far below a supplemental serving.
Because PEA does not dissolve readily in water, manufacturers mill it into smaller particles to increase surface area. The grade (standard, micronised, ultra-micronised) describes that physical processing, which is why an honest label states it.

600mg. Micronised. Single active.

Micronised palmitoylethanolamide · single active, no fillers · third-party tested every batch · UK made.

View PEA 600mg →Read: Dose, purity & honesty →
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