One of the beneficial substances for anti aging purposes is pregnenolone. Well, what is pregenenolone? This is a neurosteroid prohormone that forms the basis of other hormones like progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol. It is also, the forerunner or precursor of DHEA, and this fact may make it a better alternative to DHEA itself.
Pregnenolone is produced by the brain from cholesterol and then converted by the body into other hormones. You would think it should have gotten more attention by now, for it is the main building block for many of the steroid hormones; and yet, it hasn’t received much attention to date. Part of the reason may be because it is cheaper to manufacture, and therefore cannot be expensively sold, and also, because it cannot be patented. Nonetheless, pregnenolone could well be one of the more beneficial anti aging supplements out there.
The body’s production of pregnenolone declines with age (as with all hormones), and with the decline of the key hormones comes your usual symptoms of aging like tiredness, lack of vitality, and declining mental acuity, and sex drive.
Benefits of pregnenolone
Pregnenolone seems to have less potential for side effects compared to DHEA. At the same time, it seems to have a more benign effect too, depending on how the body handles it. While it can convert into the androgen hormones just like DHEA, it really depends on how the body metabolizes it.
On my part, one possible benefit of pregnenolone for me seems to be in helping me handle stress and stay calmer these days. I find falling asleep and staying asleep seem easier, at least for the past one month, although I can’t say if pregnenolone is behind it. One of pregnenolone’s benefits is increasing feelings of well being, so it may have been a factor. However, I feel apart from an improvement in my response to stress and mood improvement, any possible benefits from pregnenolone are more innocuous than you get with DHEA (its metabolite); this may be different for other people.
Pregnenolone may indeed have mood enhancing effects, as per this LEF article. Its benefits seem to center on mood enhancement and stress alleviation. Several other possible benefits include improved energy levels and libido (since it may be converted into testosterone by the body).
Pregnenolone may be of help as an adrenal fatigue supplement, based on its ability to be converted to cortisol, the stress hormone released by the adrenal glands. Cortisol output is diminished in people suffering from adrenal fatigue. It may also help raise HGH levels indirectly (via increased IGF-1), just like DHEA does.
Pregnenolone dosage
The only reservation I have about pregnenolone is the scant studies and trials on it to date. Possible side effects such as acne, facial hair growth, insomnia, or heart palpitations are similar to those of DHEA, related to stimulation of androgen hormones. The risk is probably lesser with pregnenolone, because logically speaking, it is higher up the conversion chain.
That said, a good rule is not to exceed 50 mg a day (10 mg/day is a safer option), even though there are higher dosages available. Also, I would strongly recommend taking a couple of days off in a week (cycling) and to consult your doctor before you start taking it. Cycling ensures you don’t turn off your body’s ability to synthesize pregnenolone on its own in the long run.
