How To Choose A PEA Supplement: Dose, Absorption and Labels
Label Guide · 5 min read
Not All PEA Is Absorbed The Same Way
Three bottles, all printing 600mg on the front, at three different prices. Here is what actually separates them — and why the number on the label is the least useful thing on it.
1. The 600mg problem
If you have two or three tabs open comparing PEA products right now, you have already noticed the difficulty: they all quote a milligram figure, the figures are all in the same range, and the prices are not.
The number on the label tells you how much PEA went into the capsule. It tells you nothing about how much of it reaches your bloodstream. For most supplements that distinction is academic. For PEA it is the entire question.
PEA is a lipid. It is poorly soluble in water, and in its raw crystalline state the particles are relatively large. Large particles have less surface area for their volume, dissolve slowly in the gut, and a meaningful share can pass through without ever being absorbed. Two capsules both stamped 600mg can therefore deliver quite different amounts to the person swallowing them.
2. Particle size is the whole story
Micronisation is a milling process. It breaks the raw material down into far smaller particles, which dramatically increases the total surface area available to dissolve. More surface area, more dissolution, more absorbed.
You will encounter three grades. Manufacturers quote these ranges:
| Grade | Particle size | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Standard PEA | ~100 microns and above | Unmilled raw powder. Cheapest to produce. Least surface area, so the least predictable absorption. |
| Micronised | ~2–10 microns | Milled down. A substantial improvement over raw powder. |
| Ultra-micronised | ~0.8–6 microns | The finest grade, and the form used in most of the published clinical work on PEA. |
Here is the practical rule. If a label does not state the grade, assume it is standard powder. Micronisation is an added manufacturing cost, and a company that has paid for it puts it on the front of the bottle.
3. So what dose should you look for?
Australian shelves carry PEA at 300mg, 400mg and 600mg. The reference point in most published trials is 600mg daily, taken either as 300mg twice a day or as two capsules together.
Three things on a label routinely make a product look stronger than it is:
Per capsule versus per serve
A bottle advertising 600mg may mean 600mg per two-capsule serve, or 600mg in each capsule. Check the serving size line, not the headline.
Bottle totals
“36,000mg” on the front is a bottle total, not a dose. Divide it by the capsule count.
Proprietary blends
If PEA appears inside a blend without its own milligram figure, you cannot know how much you are getting.
Ultra-micronised600mg per serve60-day money-back guarantee
4. Where you buy changes what you get
There are four realistic ways to buy PEA in Australia, and each involves a genuine trade-off. None of them is wrong — the point is knowing which one you are making.
- The chemist shelf. Immediate and familiar. Range is narrow, the grade is often unstated, and shelf products commonly sit at the lower dose.
- International marketplaces. Often the lowest unit price. You are buying an imported product with a longer shipping window, and country of manufacture and certification are harder to verify.
- Compounding pharmacies. Made to order, and often the route people take when a specialist has written PEA down for them. Usually the highest cost per day.
- Direct from an Australian maker. You can check dose, grade and certification before you buy, and returns are straightforward.
5. The comparison, side by side
Generalised from what is commonly available in Australia. Check any specific product against its own label rather than against this table.
| Typical shelf product | Typical imported online | Relieve Therapeutics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEA per serve | 300–400mg | Varies, sometimes unstated | 600mg |
| Grade on label | Usually not stated | Sometimes stated | Ultra-micronised |
| Added actives | None | None | Quercetin 150mg, Luteolin 30mg |
| Made in | Varies | Overseas | Australia, GMP certified |
| Returns | Store policy | Often none | 60 days, money back |
| Shipping | Same day, in person | 2–6 weeks typical | Free, Australia wide |
6. What is in ours, and why
Every ingredient in the capsule is there for a stated reason, and the label breaks out each figure.
- Ultra-micronised PEA, 600mg per serve. The grade and the dose used in most of the published research.
- Quercetin, 150mg. A plant flavonoid that appears alongside PEA throughout the research literature.
- Luteolin, 30mg. A second flavonoid, most often studied in combination with PEA rather than alone.
- Nothing else of consequence. Vegan capsule. No added gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, yeast or artificial colours.
Manufactured in Australia in a GMP-certified facility, which means the site is independently audited rather than self-declared.
7. Choose your supply
Ultra-micronised PEA 600mg with Quercetin 150mg and Luteolin 30mg. From A$1.10 a day.
Free shipping Australia wide60-day money-back guarantee
Common questions
Is 600mg a lot?
It is the dose most published trials have used, usually split as 300mg twice daily. It is not an unusually high figure for PEA — it is the standard reference point. Always follow the directions on the label.
What does ultra-micronised actually mean?
It describes particle size. Raw PEA is milled down to a much finer powder, which increases the surface area available to dissolve. Ultra-micronised is the finest commonly available grade, and the form used in most published clinical work.
Could I just take two capsules of a 300mg product instead?
You would reach 600mg on paper. Whether you absorb a comparable amount depends on the grade of the powder in those capsules, which is the point of this page. Check whether the label states micronised or ultra-micronised.
Is cheaper PEA a false economy?
Not necessarily — but compare cost per serve at a stated grade, not cost per bottle. A lower price on an unstated-grade 300mg product is not the saving it looks like.
Why Quercetin and Luteolin?
Both are plant flavonoids that recur alongside PEA in the research literature, which is why they are in the formula. Each is listed with its own milligram figure on the label rather than hidden inside a blend.
How long should I give it?
Customers who notice a difference most often say it took four to eight weeks of consistent daily use. Some notice nothing. Our 60-day guarantee exists so that a fair trial does not have to be a gamble.
This page is advertising material published by Relieve Therapeutics. It is general information only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Particle size ranges are those commonly quoted by raw material manufacturers and will vary between suppliers. References to research describe what has been studied and do not imply a guaranteed outcome.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescription medicines.