PREGNENOLONE

Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, and synthesised directly from cholesterol (the same cholesterol that’s implicated in heart disease). Along with DHEA, it sits atop what is known as the hormonal cascade. From pregnenolone and DHEA, all the other steroid hormones are created. It’s now known that large amounts of pregnenolone are also produced in the brain and in the peripheral nerves, and that pregnenolone levels decrease with age.

Pregnenolone in supplement form has been available for over 60 years and was used as a treatment for arthritis until the advent of more powerful steroidal anti-inflammatory agents currently in vogue. It is so active in the human brain that it is commonly referred to as a neurohormone or neurosteroid, thus having a significant effect on memory, emotional and mood disorders and fatigue.

Pregnenolone also improves memory and concentration in people over 50. Women performed better on tests of verbal recall after taking this supplement, while men’s scores in spatial tasks improved.

If you are experiencing memory loss or feel you are losing your mental edge, consider trying pregnenolone, starting at a dose of 20 mg per day. This can be gradually increased to 50 mg if no improvement is noted after two months. It is not recommended for people younger than 40 to 45, as their own bodies are producing adequate amounts of these steroid hormones.

Pregnenolone levels are similar in both males and females. Studies have shown that at birth the values are very high. At two years pregnenolone levels are quite low, remaining so throughout the ninth year. This is followed by a progressive rise until adulthood, when adults are found to have pregnenolone levels that are three to four times higher than those found during the first decade of life. Brain concentrations peak at around age 30 and later decrease to 5% of that value, thereby increasing the need for supplemental pregnenolone as we age.

Pregnenolone for specific problems

STEROID PATHWAYS

This diagram illustrates the hormonal cascade. Notice that from pregnenolone and DHEA, all other steroid hormones are made.