# Levagen+ (palmitoylethanolamide) alleviates joint pain and reduces the impact of joint pain in canines and felines: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial

## TL;DR

Levagen+ (a fatty acid amide) was found to reduce joint pain and improve function in dogs and cats in a clinical trial.

## Contribution

This is the first double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showing Levagen+'s efficacy in alleviating joint pain in both canines and felines.

## Key findings

- 76% of canines in the Levagen+ group were successfully treated compared to 40% in the placebo group.
- Felines showed significant improvements in jumping tasks and pain scores with Levagen+.
- Levagen+ was well tolerated in both species over 6 weeks of treatment.

## Abstract

This study assessed the effectiveness of Levagen+ (palmitoylethanolamide), a fatty acid amide and lipid mediator, for both the alleviation and impact of joint pain, in canines and felines.

This prospective double-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled study supplemented 50 canines and 50 felines experiencing joint pain daily for 6 weeks with either Levagen+ or a placebo taken orally. Efficacy was determined in canines using the Canine Brief Pain Index (CBPI) and in felines using the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI), both completed by owners at baseline, week 2, week 4 and week 6. Data were analyzed with distribution-appropriate tests and a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA to assess group, time, and interaction effects across outcomes.

In canines, significantly more were classified as successfully treated in the Levagen+ group compared to the placebo group (76% vs. 40%; p < 0.05), with significant improvements in multiple pain and functional interference domains. In felines, significant between-group differences were observed for specific functional tasks [jumping up (p < 0.05), jumping down (p < 0.05)] and in scores for current pain [week 2 (p < 0.05) and week 6 (p < 0.05)]. Levagen+ was well tolerated in both species.

These findings supported the hypothesis that Levagen+ reduces the impact of joint pain in companion animals.