Pregnenolone
What is Pregnenolone?
Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone made primarily by the adrenal glands directly from cholesterol. It is the biochemical starting material in the production of many other steroid hormones, including progestogens, androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids. Pregnenolone is also a neurosteroid produced in the brain, which affects synaptic functioning, protects nerves and brain tissue, and enhances myelination. It is particularly active in the area of the brain responsible for memory. Compounded bioidentical pregnenolone looks and functions the same as the pregnenolone the body naturally produces. After about age 30, a person’s pregnenolone level steadily starts to decline.
Who May Benefit From Pregnenolone Supplementation?
Low doses of pregnenolone may help enhance the treatment of other steroid hormone deficiencies. As a precursor, it may assist in regulating hormonal imbalances that contribute to the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause or andropause.
Low pregnenolone levels are associated with declining memory function and declining mental awareness. Pregnenolone supplementation may improve memory and cognitive function, including multi-tasking under stress. It may help raise brain levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory.
Pregnenolone may benefit symptoms of depression in certain patients, either through its effects on alertness and mental stimulation or by impacting particular components of brain cells. Pregnenolone affects many chemicals in the brain and may play a role in conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
How Belmar Can Help
If you’re a clinician interested in prescribing compound medications to your patients, contact us for information on how to get started and to access all of our clinical resources. If you are new to compounding, you may find our page on How to Write a Compounding Prescription helpful. You can also visit our Treatment Options page to find a formulary and learn more about all the medication solutions available from Belmar.
