Pregnenolone
The grandmother of all steroid hormones. Pregnenolone is made directly from cholesterol and sits at the top of the entire steroid hormone cascade. From here, your body makes cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen—everything.
What Pregnenolone Does
Hormone Foundation
Raw material for all steroid hormones. Determines downstream hormone production capacity.
Neurosteroid
Synthesized in brain. Enhances learning, memory, and mood independently of other hormones.
Neuroprotection
Protects neurons from damage. Promotes myelin formation. Potential in neurological conditions.
GABA Modulation
Interacts with GABA-A receptors. Can have calming effects. Modulates anxiety response.
NMDA Activity
Enhances NMDA receptor function. Important for learning, memory formation, and cognition.
Anti-Inflammatory
Has direct anti-inflammatory properties separate from its conversion to cortisol.
The Steroid Hormone Tree
Pregnenolone Steal
Under chronic stress, the body prioritizes cortisol production, "stealing" pregnenolone from other pathways:
What Happens
Stress signals shunt pregnenolone toward cortisol. DHEA, progesterone, and sex hormones decline.
Symptoms
Fatigue, low libido, poor memory, mood changes, menstrual irregularities, muscle loss.
Solution
Address root cause stress. Some support with pregnenolone directly to restore balance.
Supporting Pregnenolone
Cholesterol Availability
Don't fear dietary cholesterol. Very low levels can limit steroid synthesis.
Stress Management
Reduce chronic stress to prevent pregnenolone steal. Key intervention.
Mitochondrial Health
Synthesis happens in mitochondria. Support with CoQ10, B vitamins, antioxidants.
Supplementation
5-50mg common doses. Micronized forms. Best supervised—can influence downstream hormones.