Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone is the true "mother hormone," made directly from cholesterol within the mitochondria. In addition to memory enhancement, a partial list of pregnenolone's diverse benefits include:

• There is no negative feedback loop. Once produced, pregnenolone leaves the mitochondria so it cannot inhibit its own synthesis.
• Complete hormone balance. It does everything DHEA does and more. Unlike DHEA, pregnenolone readily converts into progesterone, a hormone essential to balance estrogen and reduce cancer risk, reduce "bad" cholesterol, build healthy bones and reduce the symptoms of menopause.
• Enzyme repair. The cytochrome P-450 enzyme system is stimulated by the addition of pregnenolone. This enzyme system is important in neutralizing cellular toxins.
• Protection from cortisol/cortisone. Cortisol levels increase with normal aging causing immune impairment, atherosclerosis, and neuronal injury. Pregnenolone protects against adrenal atrophy when withdrawing cortisone therapy. Pregnenolone helps protect against the effects of elevated cortisol including atrophy of the skin, osteoporosis, hot flashes in women and possibly adult-onset diabetes.

Research
New studies show pregnenolone to be a specific memory-enhancing hormone!

• Pregnenolone help maintain the "program" brain cells need to store and retrieve short-term memories.
• Pregnenolone initiates the memory storage process by stimulating the enzyme adenylate cyciase, which is needed to regulate and activate other critical enzymes required for cellular energy.
• Pregnenolone then regulates the timed-sequential flow of calcium ions through the cell. Calcium ion exchange has great formational content and may determine how memory is encoded by neurons.
• Pregnenolone then modulates chemical reactions, calcium-protein bindings, gene activation, protein turnover, and the intra-cellular distribution of compounds and enzyme reactions involved in the storage and retrieval of memory.
• In so doing, it increases the feeling of well-being and improves mood; reducing depression and the damaging effects of stress.
• It is the precursor hormone from which other hormones- DHEA, estrogen, testosterone and progesterone are made.
• Pregnenolone has been used successfully in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune diseases.
• An article in the Proceedings of of the National Academy of Sciences (Nov. 6, 1995). describes pregnenolone as "the most potent memory enhancer yet found."

Precautions

Since pregnenolone can naturally convert into DHEA in some people, the precautions we advise for DHEA may apply to pregnenolone. For some people, pregnenolone may elevate DHEA serum levels, thus possibly reducing the need for DHEA supplementation.

Due to its antagonistic effects on the GABA receptor in the central nervous system, pregnenolone therapy may be contraindicated in people with a history of seizures. Pregnenolone may inhibit drugs used to increase GABA activity (i.e., neurontin); these drugs are frequently used in the treatment of epilepsy and depression. Pregnenolone supplementation may increase progesterone levels and consequently other hormones in the body (testosterone and estradiol). Pregnenolone may cause disturbances in the endocrine system, including changes in the menstrual cycle and problems with hormone sensitive diseases, or it may interact with hormone therapy such as oral contraceptives. The side effects and interactions with other therapies are currently unknown.