Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone is a hormone produced by the ovaries and by the adrenal glands in men and women. Pregnenolone has been described as the mother of all steroid hormones, since 150 different steroid hormones are all derived from Pregnenolone.  It takes up to two steps to convert it into DHEA or Progesterone.  It appears that it is converted according to the body’s needs.  It has been linked to help with memory, mood, and the immune system.

Cognition/Memory

Studies have shown that giving pregnenolone hormone to older men and women improves their performance on tests of memory and concentration. Research, moreover, indicates that pregnenolone improves the ability to remember and retrieve information, increases the ability to handle stress, and has a beneficial effect on the myelin sheath.

A study of aviators found that pregnenolone improved their functioning and perception of their work. Fourteen subjects took 50 mg of pregnenolone daily and performed tests with an automatic scoring device that operated like the joystick for a video game. Researchers found that the improvements the aviators experienced during the two weeks of administration had a cumulative effect that continued for several days afterward. In another experiment, 25-75 mg of pregnenolone were given daily to 8 leather cutters, 12 lathe operators, and 77 optical workers. While there was little benefit compared to placebo when the workers were not “under pressure,” productivity rose when the level of work-related stress was higher. Once again, the effect outlasted the length of the study. The subjects also felt that they tired less easily and were better able to cope with the demands of their jobs. No side effects were reported in these studies.

Various animal studies have demonstrated pregnenolone’s effectiveness in enhancing learning and memory. A French study of young and aged rats found the older rats had significantly lower levels of pregnenolone sulfate, and this was associated with poor performance in two mazes that measured various aspects of spatial memory. Seven hours after the older rats were injected with pregnenolone sulfate, they performed significantly better in both mazes. (1)

Depression

Pregnenolone can be very useful for treating depression. Some studies have shown that depressed people have less than normal amounts of pregnenolone in their spinal fluid. (2) Pregnenolone likely works by preventing the brain from being overwhelmed by GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and other hormones that slow its activity.

References- Pregnenolone