Product Information

Pregnenolone is a precursor to DHEA and Progesterone. Pregnenolone enhances the benefits of DHEA. Assists with immune stimulation & blocks the stress hormone, Cortisol which elevates mood; enhances memory & brain function; and helps with rheumatoid arthritis and lowers blood cholesterol. 

Description

Pregnenolone is an endogenous Steroid Hormone (also described as a Neurosteroid or Steroid Neurohormone) also manufactured synthetically and supplemented (Hormone Replacement Therapy) as a Smart Drug/Nutrient.

Health Benefits of Pregnenolone

Aging & Life Extension

Pregnenolone production in humans declines markedly in tandem with the progression of the Aging Process and supplemental Pregnenolone may help to counteract various aspects of the Aging Process:

A 75 year old person produces approximately 60% less Pregnenolone compared to the average person aged 35.

A 90 year old person produces approximately 95% less Pregnenolone compared to the average person aged 30.

Pregnenolone may possess Life Extension potential.

Ears/Hearing

Pregnenolone may improve Hearing ability.

Eyes/Vision

Pregnenolone concentrates in and is produced in the Retina.
Pregnenolone may improve Sight (according to anecdotal reports describing and improvement in the clarity of vision after using supplemental Pregnenolone)

Immune System

Pregnenolone may help to prevent some forms of Cancer.
Pregnenolone may improve some aspects of the Immune System.
Pregnenolone may suppress Inflammation.
Pregnenolone (50 600 mg per day) may be of some benefit to Lupus Erythematosus patients.

Metabolism

Pregnenolone may rejuvenate the Beta Cells of the Pancreas in Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 patients.
Pregnenolone may improve subjective feelings of Energy.
Supplemental Pregnenolone may help to prevent Fatigue.
Pregnenolone is reported to rapidly resolve the protrusion of the Eyes (Exophthalmia) associated with Graves Disease:

This claim is made on the basis of a physician’s report of a female Graves Disease patient whose Exophthalmia receded within 24 hours of Pregnenolone administration.

Supplemental Pregnenolone may cause weight loss in persons afflicted with Obesity (according to preliminary reports).
Supplemental Pregnenolone may improve Stamina (especially in people affected by excessive Stress).
Pregnenolone (50 100 mg per day) may improve the body’s ability to handle Stress:

Pregnenolone down-regulates the binding of Glucocorticoids to Glucocorticoid Receptors (a process involved in Stress).

Musculoskeletal System

Pregnenolone (50 100 mg per day) may be of some benefit to Osteoarthritis patients.
Supplemental Pregnenolone (500 mg per day) was developed originally as a treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis:

Pregnenolone may be most effective against Rheumatoid Arthritis during the early stages of the disease, before the inflammatory processes had manifested in full.

Pregnenolone (50 100 mg per day) may be of some benefit to Scleroderma patients.

Nervous System: Ailments

Alzheimer's Disease patients and patients with other forms of Dementia often have abnormally low levels of Pregnenolone.
Pregnenolone may be useful for the treatment of Anxiety:

It has been speculated that supplemental Pregnenolone may be useful for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
It has been speculated that supplemental Pregnenolone may be useful for the treatment of Panic Disorder.

Pregnenolone may help to alleviate Depression (especially where Depression is caused by excessive Cortisol):
Pregnenolone is speculated to be useful for the treatment of Manic Depression (during both the Manic and Depression phases).

Pregnenolone may be an effective treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Pregnenolone is presently under investigation as a means of preventing or reversing Paralysis in people who have sustained Spinal Cord injuries.

Nervous System: Enhancement

Pregnenolone may increase Alertness.
Pregnenolone may improve (hand-to-eye) Coordination.
Pregnenolone may increase Creativity.
Pregnenolone may increase Intelligence.
Pregnenolone may improve Learning ability.
Pregnenolone may improve Memory. The means by which Pregnenolone improves Memory include:

Maintaining the “program” that Neurons require in order to store and retrieve Memory.
By stimulating the endogenous enzyme Adenyl Cyclase.
By regulating the timed-sequential flow of Calcium Ions through Cell Membranes
By modulating Gene activation.
By modulating Protein turnover.
By operating during Sleep to enhance Memory, by intensifying the stages of sleep associated with increased retention of information learned the prior day.(In summary, Pregnenolone modulates many aspects of neuronal synchronization that are required for optimal Mental Function).Pregnenolone is speculated to achieve many of its cognitive-enhancement effects by affecting the N-ethyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptors (GABAa subtype) in the Brain.
Pregnenolone inhibits the Memory-impairing effects of Alcohol (ethanol).
Pregnenolone is effective for enhancing “after-the-fact” Memory (i.e. it may improve the ability to recall information/experiences acquired prior to Pregnenolone supplementation).

Pregnenolone may improve Long-Term Memory.
Pregnenolone may improve Short-Term Memory:

Pregnenolone may improve Spatial Memory (an aspect of Short-Term Memory that involves remembering one’s position in space).

Pregnenolone (50 100 mg per day) may improve Mood:

Pregnenolone (10 75 mg per day) may improve subjective feelings of Happiness.

Pregnenolone may be useful for the treatment of (Social) Phobias as Social Phobia patients have been found to have low Plasma Pregnenolone Sulfate levels.
Supplemental, exogenous Pregnenolone (1 mg per day) may increase the quantity of time spent in Slow-Wave Sleep (Stage 4) as a proportion of total sleeping time.
Pregnenolone may increase Willpower.

Nervous System: Underlying Mechanisms

Pregnenolone may improve the function of the Amygdala (a specific area within the Brain that is believed to be responsible for many aspects of Memory).
Pregnenolone concentrates in the Brain (Pregnenolone levels are significantly higher in the Brain compared to its levels in the Blood).

Pregnenolone may increase the generation of Delta Waves during Slow-Wave Sleep (deep Sleep).
Pregnenolone (after its conversion to its Pregnenolone Sulfate form) concentrates in the Hippocampus and may enhance the function of the Hippocampus. Pregnenolone increases the release of Acetylcholine in the Hippocampus.

Pregnenolone (administered orally or applied topically to the Spinal Cord) may facilitate the healing of otherwise crippling injuries to the Spinal Cord (treatment must be commenced as soon as possible after the Spinal Cord injury).

Sexual System

Supplemental Pregnenolone (30 mg per day) may prevent Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

Skin

Pregnenolone (as a component of some Cosmeceutical Skin Moisturizers applied topically usually in a 5% solution) may alleviate Dry Skin (by facilitating the retention of Water in the Skin).
Pregnenolone (50 100 mg per day) may be of some benefit to Psoriasis patients.

Pregnenolone (cream applied topically) may help to retard the Aging Process in the Skin (by counteracting the toxic effects of excessive Cortisol in the Skin).
Pregnenolone (cream applied topically) may reduce the appearance of Wrinkles (by rehydrating the Skin).

Pregnenolone may Enhance the Function of these Substances

Enzymes

Pregnenolone may activate Adenyl Cyclase (the endogenous Enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of Adenosine Triphosphate to Cyclic AMP (cAMP).

Hormones

Pregnenolone may stimulate the release of Human Growth Hormone (hGH).
Pregnenolone is the precursor for all other Steroid Hormones (it could be described as “the mother of all Steroids” as without Pregnenolone there can be no human Steroid production).

Neurotransmitters

Pregnenolone may increase the release of Acetylcholine in the Hippocampus.
Pregnenolone may block the inhibitory effects of some Inhibitory Neurotransmitters including:

Glycine
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

Smart Drugs

Pregnenolone may enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of Pyrrolidone Derivative Nootropics including:

Aniracetam
Oxiracetam
Piracetam
Pramiracetam

Vitamins

Pregnenolone may be synergistic with Choline.
Pregnenolone may Minimize the Toxic Effects of these Substances

Amino Acids

Pregnenolone may protect against the neurotoxic effects of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA).

Hormones

Pregnenolone may counteract many of the toxic effects of excessive Cortisol.

Recreational Drugs

Pregnenolone may inhibit the Memory-impairing effects of Alcohol (ethanol).

The direct precursor for Pregnenolone is Cholesterol:

The conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone occurs within the Mitochondria (and after its production Pregnenolone leaves the Mitochondria, and therefore CANNOT inhibit its own synthesis via negative feedback mechanism).

Pregnenolone production occurs primarily in the Adrenal Glands, but is also produced in smaller quantities in other areas of the body, including the Liver, Brain, Skin and Retina of the Eye.

These Substances may Enhance the Function of Pregnenolone

Enzymes

Cholesterol Esterase catalyzes the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone.

Hormones

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) may facilitate the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone within the Adrenal Glands (by increasing the activity of the Cholesterol Esterase enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone within the Adrenal Glands).

Lipids

Phosphatidylserine (under some circumstances) may increase the production of Pregnenolone.

Vitamins

Choline is synergistic with Pregnenolone.

These Foods may Enhance the Function of Pregnenolone

Oils (dietary Oils)

Coconut Oil is speculated to facilitate the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone.

These Substances may Interfere with Pregnenolone

Pharmaceutical Drugs

Aminoglutethimide may block the conversion of Cholesterol to Pregnenolone (and therefore blocks the production of all further Steroid Hormones and Steroid Hormone Precursors for which Pregnenolone is a precursor).

These Factors may Interfere with Pregnenolone

Aging

The body’s endogenous production of Pregnenolone declines in tandem with the progression of the Aging Process (production of endogenous Pregnenolone declines by 60% between the ages of 35 and 75).

Precautions

Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)and DHEA-Sulfate levels should be monitored by a Physician before and after the use of supplemental Pregnenolone.

Bioavailability

Pregnenolone is well absorbed when consumed orally.
Pregnenolone is effectively absorbed when applied topically.
Following its absorption, supplemental Pregnenolone causes elevations in serum Pregnenolone and Pregnenolone Sulfate levels (illustrating that first-pass liver metabolism is not a limiting factor for the use of oral Pregnenolone).

Forms of Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone Acetate consists of Pregnenolone combined with Acetic Acid. This form of Pregnenolone is used in some topical Skin products.
Pregnenolone Sulfate is an endogenous form of Pregnenolone that consists of “free” Pregnenolone bound to a molecule of Sulfur. This form of Pregnenolone predominates in the Brain.

Dosage Recommendations

Synergism

Supplementary Pregnenolone is synergistic with many other substances classified as Smart Drugs and its dosage should be reduced accordingly when Pregnenolone is used in conjunction with other Smart Drugs. Like many other Smart Drugs, the dose-response curve for Pregnenolone is inverted U-shaped.

Timing

The optimal timing for supplemental Pregnenolone is the morning (in order to avoid the stimulating properties of Pregnenolone interfering with Sleep) and one single daily dosage of Pregnenolone is preferable to divided dosages endogenous Pregnenolone is of a circadian nature with endogenous levels being highest in the morning, dropping to baseline by late afternoon.

“Waiting Period”

The subjective effects of supplemental Pregnenolone sometimes take two weeks or more to become noticeable after this “waiting period” has been reached, most people notice the effects of Pregnenolone within one hour of its ingestion.

Dosage Levels

The optimal Pregnenolone dosage varies between individuals. The standard daily dosage of Pregnenolone for purposes other than the treatment of severe ailments is 5 100 mg per day. The average dosage used by most healthy people is 10 mg per day, however some people use 20 30 mg per day in order to obtain a more pronounced effect. In rare cases effects are not noticed unless a dosage of 60 mg per day is used.Up to 500 mg of Pregnenolone per day has been used in clinical trials for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some health practitioners recommend a reduced dosage of 100 200 mg per day for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.Up to 525 mg of Pregnenolone per day has been used in clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Some health practitioners recommend a reduced dosage of 300 500 mg per day for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease.