What does it do? The
functions of pregnenolone in the body are not well known. Pregnenolone
serves as a precursor to other hormones, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and
progesterone.1 It has been suggested that the role of pregnenolone in the body
is to serve as a "mother-steroid" (precursor hormone), and that it has no
function on its own. More research is needed to determine the functions (if any) of
pregnenolone in the body. Many effects of pregnenolone on the nervous system have been
studied. Rat studies indicate powerful memory enhancing effects,2 far beyond
that of other neuroactive substances.3 4 In healthy men aged twenty
to thirty, administration of pregnenolone (1 mg daily) was found to
improve sleep quality and decrease intermittent wakefulness.5
It has been suggested that this hormone may play a
role in the neuroendocrine response to stress. During periods of stress, the output of
adrenal steroids increases. The increased output of these steroids has been associated
with increased fatigue in army pilots resulting in poor performance. In a study of pilots
under stress, pregnenolone therapy (25 mg, twice daily) improved performance with no
adverse side effects.6 In a rat study of the stress response, an increase in
anxiety was observed following administration of pregnenolone.
It is suggested that this is a beneficial response during a stressful period and is
initiated through the nervous system.7
In a rat model of spinal cord injury, pregnenolone
administration in conjunction with an anti-inflammatory medication (indomethacin) and an
immune modulating medication (bacterial lipopolysaccharide) resulted in a statistically
significant improvement in motor function relative to controls. The control groups
included rats on other combinations of the medications and other anti-inflammatory
medications.8 Pregnenolone appears to exhibit an antagonistic effect on
the calming receptors in the brain (GABA receptors), resulting in an excitatory effect. It
is possible that this alteration in nervous system transmission could contribute to
seizure activity.9 10
It is known that steroid hormones effect mood and
behavior through the nervous system. In individuals with either current depression or a
history of depression, pregnenolone (in the cerebrospinal fluid) was found to be
significantly lower than in healthy people. In addition, it was found that patients with
active depression had lower levels of pregnenolone compared with those with a prior
history of depression.11
In a double blind placebo-controlled study of
elderly women with wrinkles, daily application of a pregnenolone acetate (0.5 percent)
cream improved the visible wrinkling of the skin. When the treatment was discontinued, the
benefit was not maintained. Because the results were only temporary, it is suggested that
the beneficial effect of the cream was due to improved hydration of the skin.12
| Researchers have reported on the use of
pregnenolone in a variety of rheumatologic diseases. In a study of pregnenolone therapy
(intramuscular injection, 50–600 mg daily) for rheumatoid arthritis, six of eleven
individuals experienced moderate to marked improvement in symptoms of joint pain and joint
mobility. The symptom improvement was apparent two to four days after therapy was
initiated. In a study of thirteen adults with osteoarthritis, pregnenolone therapy reduced
the pain and improved the range of motion in seven of the study participants. Pain
recurred when therapy was discontinued. In a person who suffered from gouty arthritis and
was unresponsive to traditional medications, pregnenolone therapy resulted in a dramatic
response within three days of initiating therapy. This patient received 300 mg daily of
pregnenolone (by intramuscular injection) for four weeks, followed by 200 mg weekly of
pregnenolone as a maintenance dose. This study of pregnenolone therapy in rheumatologic
diseases also reports a substantial benefit in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE), psoriasis, and scleroderma. Of the 59 individuals reported in this paper, the only
adverse effect was redness or pain at the site of injection. No systemic adverse effects
were reported.13 |
 |
Product Recommendations |
 |
One full press of the pump dispenses 20 milligrams of
natural Progesterone USP and 25mg of Phytoestrogens, making it easy to
use with confidence. The pump protects the natural ingredients from
oxidation, thus ensuring the potency of the natural Progesterone and
Phytoestrogens. |
- Life Time
- DHEA
- Pregnenolone
- 60 Cap.
|
- There has been strong association
between low DHEA and bone loss in post-menopausal women. Both estrogen
and progesterone help to keep bone mass at healthy levels. Estrogen inhibits the robbing
of calcium from the bone while progesterone stimulates bone formation. Since DHEA helps
with the synthesis of both of these hormones as well as protecting against heart disease,
it is easy to understand why DHEA is so widely recommended. Each Capsule provides:
10 mg. DHEA, 15 mg Pregnenolone
|
|
Where is it found? The
cells of the adrenal gland, as well as the central nervous system, synthesize
pregnenolone. Human studies show that there are much higher concentrations of pregnenolone
in the nervous tissue than in the bloodstream.14 Animal studies indicate that pregnenolone
is found in the brain in ten-fold larger concentrations than the other stress-related
hormones (including DHEA).15 Pregnenolone is present
in the blood as both free pregnenolone and a more stable form, pregnenolone-sulfate.
Who is likely to be
deficient? Since it is not an essential nutrient, pregnenolone is not
associated with a deficiency state.
How much is usually taken? Pregnenolone
is generally available in amounts of 10 to 30 mg. It is unknown what amount of
pregnenolone is necessary for autoimmune diseases, preventive therapy, or memory
enhancement, especially since studies were performed primarily on rats, and used an
injectable form of the hormone. Many studies have indicated a U-shaped distribution16
in the therapeutic response to pregnenolone therapy. The U-shaped distribution describes a
benefit of low dose pregnenolone, a loss of effect with increasing dose of pregnenolone,
and a second peak of benefit with higher doses of the steroid. It is unknown what dosage
range is represented in either part of the U-shaped curve for humans, and whether or not
this curve is altered by disease.
Are there any side
effects or interactions? Due to its antagonistic effects on the GABA receptor
in the central nervous system, pregnenolone therapy may be contraindicated in people with
a history of seizures. Pregnenolone may inhibit drugs used to increase GABA
activity (i.e., neurontin); these drugs are frequently used in the treatment of epilepsy
and depression. Pregnenolone supplementation may increase progesterone levels and
consequently other hormones in the body (testosterone and estradiol). Pregnenolone may
cause disturbances in the endocrine system, including changes in the menstrual cycle and
problems with hormone sensitive diseases, or it may interact with hormone therapy such as
oral contraceptives. The side effects and interactions with other therapies are currently
unknown.
- References:
- 1. Akwa Y, Young J, Kabbadj K, et al. Neurosteroids:
biosynthesis, metabolism and function of pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone in the
brain. J Steroid Biochem Molec Biol 1991;40(1–3):71–81.
2. Isaacson RL, Varner JA, Baars JM, de Wied D. The effects of pregnenolone sulfate and
ethylestrenol on retention of a passive avoidance task. Brain Res
1995;689:79–84.
3. Flood JF, Morley JE, Roberts E. Pregnenolone sulfate enhances post-training memory
processes when injected in very low doses into limbic system structures: The amygdala is
by far the most sensitive. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1995;92:10806–810.
4. Flood JF, Morley JE, Roberts E. Memory-enhancing effects in male mice of pregnenolone
and steroids metabolically derived from it. Proc Natl Acad Sci
1992;89:1567–71.
5. Steiger A, Trachsel L, Guldner J, et al. Neurosteroid pregnenolone induces sleep-EEG
changes in man compatible with inverse agonistic GABAA-receptor modulation. Brain
Res 1993;615:267–74.
6. Pincus G, Hoagland H. Effects of administered pregnenolone on fatiguing psychomotor
performance. Aviation Med 1944;April:98–115.
7. Melchior CL, Ritzmann RF. Pregnenolone and pregnenolone sulfate, alone and with
ethanol, in mice on the plus-maze. Pharmacol Biochem Behav
1994;48(4):893–97.
8. Guth L, Zhang Z, Roberts E. Key role for pregnenolone in combination therapy that
promotes recovery after spinal cord injury. 1994;91:12308–312.
9. Wu FS, Gibbs TT, Farb DH Pregnenolone sulfate: a positive allosteric modulator
at the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Mol Pharmacol 1991;40(3):333–36.
10. Maione S, Berrino L, Vitagliano S, et al. Pregnenolone sulfate increases the
convulsant potency of N-methyl-D-aspartate in mice. Eur J Pharmacol
1992;219:477–79.
11. George MS, Guidotti A, Rubinow D, et al. CSF neuroactive steroids in affective
disorders: pregnenolone, progesterone and DBI. Biol Psychiatry
1994;35(10):775–80.
12. Sternberg TH, LeVan P, Wright ET. The hydrating effects of pregnenolone acetate on the
human skin. Curr Ther Res 1961;3(11):469–71.
13. McGavack TH, Chevalley J, Weissberg J. The use of D 5-pregnenolone in
various clinical disorders. J Clin Endocrinol 1951;11(6):559–77.
14. Morfin R, Young J, Corpechot C, et al. Neurosteroids: pregnenolone in human sciatic
nerves. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1992;89:6790–793.
15. Akwa Y, Young J, Kabbadj K, et al. Neurosteroids: biosynthesis, metabolism and
function of pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone in the brain. J Steroid Biochem
Molec Biol 1991;40(1–3):71–81.
16. Isaacson RL, Varner JA, Baars JM, de Wied D. The effects of pregnenolone sulfate and
ethylestrenol on retention of a passive avoidance task. Brain Res
1995;689:79–84.
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