Pregnenolone: Benefits and Side Effects

Pregnenolone is a master precursor for steroid hormones, including testosterone, cortisol, progesterone, and estrogen, which are all critical to overall health and well-being.  

Because of its crucial role in maintaining hormonal balance, pregnenolone benefits include supporting cognitive function, stress resilience, emotional regulation, and stable energy production.

Let’s look at four impressive health benefits of pregnenolone and learn how to support optimal levels of this vital hormonal building block. 

What is pregnenolone?

Pregnenolone is the universal precursor to all steroid hormones in the body, including testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

Because it plays such a key role in maintaining hormonal balance, pregnenolone is often called the mother hormone, indicating its vital importance for overall health and well-being.   

While the majority of pregnenolone is produced in the adrenal glands, other tissues and organs, such as the brain, liver, ovaries, and testes, also have the capacity to synthesize it. 

Pregnenolone is converted from cholesterol through an enzymatic reaction in the mitochondria of steroid hormone-producing cells. It then enters the cytoplasm, where it’s further processed by specific enzymes into various steroid hormones, depending on the tissue’s needs.

The body’s ability to produce pregnenolone diminishes with age and can be impaired by factors such as chronic stress and poor dietary and lifestyle habits. 

As a result, pregnenolone supplements are often used by those seeking to support hormonal balance and overall vitality.

Watch the video below to learn how to naturally boost pregnenolone levels. 

Benefits of pregnenolone 

Although most of pregnenolone’s benefits are linked to its role in steroid hormone production, it may also have direct effects on certain physiological functions, especially in the brain.

Here are four benefits of pregnenolone. 

1. Supports brain health and cognitive function

Pregnenolone is classified as a neurosteroid as it’s believed to play a key role in supporting brain health and cognitive function. 

Its metabolite, pregnenolone sulfate, has been shown to enhance brain cell integrity, regulate nervous system functions, and help reduce negative emotional responses. 

By supporting various neuronal pathways, pregnenolone may also help improve focus, memory, and emotional wellness.

This has been confirmed by research published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, highlighting the link between the neurosteroid pregnenolone targeting cognitive enhancement and improved nervous system regulation.

2. Promotes restful sleep 

Pregnenolone has been found to stimulate deep sleep by potentially modulating neurotransmitter systems in the central nervous system, especially those involving gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. 

This helps maintain healthy sleep cycles and promotes deeper and more restful sleep stages, which are crucial for memory consolidation, mood regulation, and the clearing of waste materials from the brain.

3. Helps balance hormone levels 

Pregnenolone helps balance hormone levels by serving as the precursor for all major steroid hormones.

By supporting the production of these hormones, pregnenolone plays a vital role in regulating the immune system, maintaining consistent energy levels, and supporting sexual and reproductive health. 

Pregnenolone’s effect may be especially beneficial during perimenopause and menopause, when natural hormone fluctuations can lead to various uncomfortable symptoms. 

4. May enhance mood regulation 

Pregnenolone may enhance mood regulation by interacting with GABA receptors, which play a key role in calming the nervous system and supporting mood regulation. 

Research published in Biological Psychiatry suggests pregnenolone has significant mood-boosting effects and helps control emotional regulation by influencing neurochemical pathways involved in stress and emotional balance.

Signs of low pregnenolone

Low pregnenolone levels can lead to impaired production of all steroid hormones. This can trigger a wide range of symptoms depending on which hormone pathways are most affected. 

Common signs and symptoms of low pregnenolone include:

• Brain fog
• Unexplained tiredness
• Poor immune health 
• Hormonal imbalances 
• Sleep disturbances 
• Changes in menstrual regularity
• Muscle discomfort
• Altered mood regulation
• Forgetfulness
• Low stress resilience 
• Poor exercise tolerance 

If you have developed signs of hormonal imbalances, it’s vital to consult a healthcare provider for a thorough evaluation of your symptoms.  

A doctor can perform blood tests to assess serum pregnenolone concentrations and evaluate levels of other steroid hormones to identify potential imbalances and guide treatment.

Causes of low pregnenolone

While aging causes a natural decline in pregnenolone levels, chronic stress is believed to be a leading cause of pregnenolone depletion.

During periods of stress, the adrenal glands prioritize the production of the stress hormone cortisol, redirecting pregnenolone away from other hormonal pathways. This is widely referred to as stress-related pregnenolone steal, which over time can contribute to hormonal imbalances. 

In addition, these factors can also contribute to cortisol-related pregnenolone depletion:

• Lack of adequate sleep
• Poor adrenal health 
• Metabolic imbalances
• Overtraining or excessive physical exertion
• Frequent illness or chronic infections

Furthermore, pro-inflammatory dietary patterns, often driven by ultra-processed foods and high-carbohydrate diets, can increase the body’s demand for cortisol, which depletes the body’s pregnenolone pool needed to support balanced hormone production.

Pregnenolone production depends on adequate cholesterol levels, which explains why a low-fat or low-cholesterol diet, as well as cholesterol-reducing drugs, can significantly disrupt hormonal balance. 

Evidence published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society confirms this, highlighting that cholesterol-lowering drugs suppress pregnenolone production and that all individuals taking these medications should receive regular steroid hormone testing.

How to boost pregnenolone naturally

Making beneficial dietary changes and adopting a hormone-balancing lifestyle is an excellent strategy to support optimal pregnenolone levels.

Here are four ways to boost pregnenolone naturally.

1. Consume plenty of healthy fats  

Incorporating healthy sources of cholesterol, such as eggs, grass-fed butter, ghee, tallow, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, and pasture-raised meats, can support pregnenolone levels.

Not only are these options nutritious sources of cholesterol, but also provide essential fatty acids and fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K that further support hormonal balance. 

In fact, a study published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry found that vitamin A is crucial for pregnenolone balance as it helps activate and regulate key enzymes involved in steroid hormone synthesis.

2. Combat stress  

Because stress is a primary cause of adrenal fatigue and pregnenolone depletion, incorporating relaxation techniques into your routine is an excellent strategy to boost adrenal function and balance steroid hormones.

Deep breathing techniques, engaging in a hobby, staying physically active, connecting with a loved one, and spending time in nature, such as walking, hiking, gardening, or relaxing in the sun for a few minutes, can all help lower cortisol levels and support the body’s natural hormone production.   

3. Follow Healthy Keto® 

A nutritious low-carb diet, such as Healthy Keto®, involves avoiding ultra-processed and refined foods and limiting carbohydrates, which have been linked to disrupted pregnenolone production.

In addition, Healthy Keto emphasizes foods rich in healthy fats that supply the cholesterol and fat-soluble nutrients needed for optimal steroid hormone synthesis, including pregnenolone. 

“A nutrient-dense keto diet helps lower inflammation and stabilizes insulin levels,” says Dr. Berg. “This may explain why many individuals notice improved hormonal balance after starting a low-carb diet.”   

4. Prioritize sleep 

Getting adequate amounts of sleep helps the body restore and regulate hormone production, including pregnenolone. 

During deep sleep, the brain and adrenal glands have the opportunity to recover, which helps reduce cortisol demands and rebalances the endocrine system. 

Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and support healthy sleep hygiene by limiting screen time before bed and creating a calm, dark sleep environment.

Side effects of pregnenolone supplementation

While supplemental pregnenolone may support hormonal balance in some individuals, it’s crucial to be aware of potential downsides and adverse effects. 

Individuals with hormone-sensitive conditions such as uterine fibroids and breast, prostate, or ovarian cancer shouldn’t take pregnenolone supplements, as they may increase the risk of unpredictable hormonal responses. 

In addition, those undergoing hormone replacement therapy, as well as people taking medications to treat depressive symptoms, should avoid pregnenolone due to the potential for drug interactions and unintended hormonal shifts. 

It’s recommended to consult a healthcare provider before incorporating a dietary supplement containing pregnenolone to ensure it’s appropriate for your individual health needs.

Key takeaways

Pregnenolone benefits hormonal balance, brain function, and reproductive health, as this hormone precursor is the key building block of all of the body’s steroid hormones. 

Chronic stress, a diet high in carbs and processed foods, a low-fat diet, and the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs all can impair pregnenolone levels and contribute to hormonal imbalances. 

Supporting cholesterol balance with healthy fats, practicing stress-reducing techniques, getting adequate sleep, and following a low-carb diet are excellent tools to boost pregnenolone naturally. 

FAQ

Sources

1. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389 
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3648625/ 
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9627912/