Pregnenolone

• Overview
• Uses
• Side Effects
• Precautions
• Interactions
• Dosing

Pregnenolone is a chemical that is found in our bodies. It can also be made in a laboratory. People use it for medicine.

Pregnenolone is used for fatigue and increasing energy; Alzheimer's disease and enhancing memory; trauma and injuries; as well as stress and improving immunity.

It is also is used for skin disorders including psoriasis and scleroderma.

Women use pregnenolone for lumpy breasts (fibrocystic breast disease), a disorder of the lining of the uterus (endometriosis), symptoms of menopause, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Some people use pregnenolone for slowing or reversing aging, arthritis, and depression. It is also used for strengthening the heart, allergic reactions, “detoxification,” lupus, multiple sclerosis (MS), prostate problems, and seizures.

Because the body uses pregnenolone to make many hormones, pregnenolone was studied for stress, fatigue, and arthritis in the 1940s before lab-made hormones became available.

How does it work?

In the body, pregnenolone is used to make all steroid hormones. There isn't enough information to know how pregnenolone supplements might work.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Slowing or reversing aging.
• Arthritis.
• Depression.
• Endometriosis (abnormal thickening of the lining of uterus).
• Fatigue.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of pregnenolone for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

There isn't enough information to know if pregnenolone is safe when taken by mouth. It might cause some steroid-like side effects including overstimulation, insomnia, irritability, anger, anxiety, acne, headache, negative mood changes, facial hair growth, hair loss, and irregular heart rhythm.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of pregnenolone during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Pregnenolone is converted by the body to estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don't take supplemental pregnenolone.

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EstrogensInteraction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Pregnenolone is used in the body to make hormones including estrogen. Taking estrogen along with pregnenolone might cause too much estrogen to be in the body.

Some estrogen pills include conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin), ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, and others.

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ProgestinInteraction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

Progestins are a group of hormones. Taking other hormones along with progesterone pills might cause too much hormones in the body. This could increase the effects and side effects of hormone pills.

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TestosteroneInteraction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.Talk with your health provider.

The body changes pregnenolone into testosterone. Taking pregnenolone along with a testosterone pill might cause too much testosterone in the body. This might increase the chance of testosterone side effects.

The appropriate dose of pregnenolone depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for pregnenolone. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.