| Pregnenolone is a naturally-occurring androgen (hormone), a
neurosteroid, or "brain steroid" produced by the adrenal glands and found in
plasma, adrenal glands, liver, skin, gonads and brain tissue and goes into progesterone
and other neurosteroids. Formed from cholesterol, Pregnenolone has been a focus of
interest to scientists every since its discovery during the 1930's, because it occupies
some important metabolic pathways where the body "decides' to make progesterone,
DHEA, androgen, estrogen, and corticoids including cortisone, the most potent
anti-inflammatory. The first studies were done by the great Canadian neuro-endocrinologist
and theoretician, Dr. Hans Selye, who is best known for helping to shape current thinking
about the body's response to stress. Selye was fascinated with the hormone even before
anyone knew how it fit in the steroid hormone family tree and stated "the compound
possesses, at least in traces, every independent main pharmacological action which has
hitherto been shown to be exhibited by any steroid hormone."
Pregnenolone would probably be beneficial for both aging men and women and, like DHEA,
drops in effectiveness profoundly with age, although age-related "norms" for
Pregnenolone have not been as clearly established as for DHEA. Pregnenolone is made in the
mitochondria, the chemical factory of the cells and in nerve cells.
Pregnenolone appear to have a wide margin of safety and has been used for over 3 months in
does exceeding 50 mg per day without apparent toxicity. We still have much to learn about
the clinical uses and optimum odes of pregnenolone - especially when combined with
DHEA. |
