Pregnenolone
The 'mother hormone' — the upstream precursor to DHEA, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen. Strongest noted effects are on cognition and mood.
Moderate evidence for memory enhancement, bipolar depression (adjunct), schizophrenia (adjunct), and mood in low-pregnenolone individuals. Less evidence for general 'energy' or 'anti-aging' use in younger people. Effects: 4–12 weeks.
Make it part of your plan
Reference dose
5–30 mg/day for general use. Higher doses (50–500 mg) used in clinical research for cognition and mood. Start low.
Choose a stack first, or enter your own amount here. Reference information is not a personal prescription.
Pregnenolone is synthesised from cholesterol in the adrenal glands, gonads, and brain — and from there the body builds every other steroid hormone. It declines significantly with age. It's also a neurosteroid in its own right, acting on NMDA and GABA-A receptors and supporting myelin repair. Most clinical interest is in its cognitive and mood effects — there's reasonable evidence for memory, depression (especially bipolar depression), and schizophrenia adjunct treatment. As a hormone precursor, the downstream effects depend on what your body is short on; supplementation can be unpredictable in non-deficient individuals.
- Form
- Micronised pregnenolone for better absorption. Sublingual / oral tablets / cream all available.
- Timing
- AM with food (steroid-hormone effects can be activating).
- Schedule
- Daily. Re-test downstream hormones at 8–12 weeks.
- Side effects
- Generally well-tolerated at modest doses. Acne, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, headache at higher doses. Androgenic / estrogenic effects via conversion.
- Interactions
- Hormonal medications (HRT, contraceptives, anti-androgens) — variable downstream effects. SSRIs, sedatives (modest interactions). Anticoagulants — variable.
- Contraindications
- Hormone-sensitive cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian, endometrial). Pregnancy / breastfeeding. Seizure disorders (relative — pregnenolone modulates GABA and NMDA).
- Lab markers
- Serum pregnenolone (less commonly tested than DHEA-S; check baseline before supplementing). DHEA-S, progesterone, testosterone, estradiol for downstream effects.
- Food sources
- Not present in food — endogenous + supplemental only.
Pairs with
DHEA (the next step downstream — some practitioners pair). Magnesium, vitamin D (steroid synthesis support). B5 / pantothenic acid (cofactor for steroid hormone synthesis).
Where to buy
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within Hormone precursors & modulators