Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide and Luteolin Supplement Combined with Olfactory Training to Treat Post-COVID-19 Olfactory Impairment: A Multi-Center Double-Blinded Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
Randomised controlled trialHumansWith luteolin
This study tested palmitoylethanolamide together with luteolin. Its results cannot be assigned to palmitoylethanolamide alone. More combination studies.
- Design
- Randomised controlled trial
- Subjects
- 185 adults with smell loss persisting more than 6 months after COVID-19: 130 received PEA-luteolin plus olfactory training, 55 received placebo plus olfactory training (2:1 allocation)
- Dose used in the study
- 700 mg ultramicronised PEA plus 70 mg luteolin (Glialia, Epitech Group) once daily, with daily olfactory training in both groups
- Duration
- 90 days
- What was measured
- Sniffin' Sticks threshold, discrimination and identification (TDI) score at baseline and day 90; the treated group was also tested at day 30 and 60
What the authors reported
At day 90, 92 percent of the PEA-luteolin group had improved TDI compared with 42 percent of the placebo group. Mean TDI rose from 20.6 to 29.8 in the treated group and from 18.2 to 19.5 with placebo. 56 percent of treated patients reached a normal TDI score compared with 10 percent on placebo. No adverse events were reported.
Limits of this study
2:1 allocation left a small control group of 55. The treated group was about 5 years younger on average (p = 0.04). The placebo capsule contained a multivitamin, vitamin D and alpha-lipoic acid, so it was not inert. The control group was assessed only at day 90, so the time course cannot be compared. No biomarkers or imaging. The product was supplied by Epitech Group, which markets it.
Source
PubMed 35450527 · doi:10.2174/1570159X20666220420113513
Entry checked against the full text, supplied by Devlin from PubMed Central (PMC9886808) on 2026-09-21. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.