Palmitoylethanolamide in Human and Animal Obesity

Area of Science:

• Medical Science
• Pharmacology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Rising obesity rates in middle-aged populations and pets are linked to sedentary lifestyles.
• Obesity is associated with severe health issues like metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), diabetes, and dyslipidemia.
• Chronic inflammation plays a key role in obesity development and its associated metabolic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review obesity mechanisms and current treatments.
• To explore Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) as a potential anti-obesity agent, considering its link to inflammation.
• To assess PEA's efficacy in both human and veterinary medicine.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar).
• Application of specific inclusion criteria for article selection.
• Review of existing research on obesity, inflammation, and therapeutic interventions.

Main Results:

• Obesity management involves caloric restriction, dietary changes, and long-term therapies to prevent comorbidities.
• Pharmacological treatments for obesity exist for both human and veterinary applications.
• Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), an anti-inflammatory lipid mediator, is authorized as a veterinary food supplement and shows promise for human obesity treatment.

Conclusions:

• PEA's anti-obesity properties, including appetite suppression and fat reduction, make it a potential therapeutic tool.
• Integrating natural compounds like PEA could offer a novel strategy for managing human and animal obesity.
• PEA may help prevent obesity-related comorbidities by addressing underlying inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.