Can You Supplement Pregnenolone & Dhea?

The commercial claims for what Pregnenolone and DHEA can do are intriguing. These hormones are heavily studied and a great deal of literature is available to wade through to figure out what claims are legitimate and what are not. It's important to educate yourself before taking any supplement. Talking to your doctor is the best way to obtain information you know you can trust.

Identification

Pregnenolone is the precursor, or starting point, for all hormones in the human body. It is secreted by the adrenal gland and is formed from cholesterol. As we age, pregnenolone levels decline as much as 60 percent between the ages of 35 and 75. Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, along with its sister DHEAS, are the most abundant steroid precursors in the body. They derive from pregnenolone and produce the androgenic and estrogenic hormones. DHEA levels also decline as we age.

Function of Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone's role as parent to all other hormones suggests that it is either directly or indirectly involved in many processes. Once it leaves the adrenal gland, pregnenolone immediately forms progesterone, mineralcorticoids, which help regulate electrolytes, and corticosteroids, which control inflammation and metabolism. Pregnenolone is also a neurosteroid, meaning it exists within and affects the central nervous system and may impact mood, anxiety, learning, sleep and behavior.

Function of DHEA

The function of DHEA is still somewhat unknown. DHEA is the parent hormone to androgen and estrogen, both of which are vital to human development. However, the steps DHEA takes to produce those hormones is uncertain. One certainty is that DHEA levels decline as people age at an approximate annual rate of 2.3 percent for men and 3.9 percent for women, beginning around age 25. This decline is parallel to a person's physical decline with age resulting in reduced immunity, lower muscle mass, increased body fat, physical frailty and disrupted sleep patterns. Levels of DHEA can be used as a marker for aging.

Theories/Speculation

Because pregnenolone and DHEA levels decline with age theories suggest that supplementation will produce anti-aging results. Despite claims, none have been consistently proven. A review published in the "Brain Research Reviews" journal found that supplementing both DHEA and pregnenolone in rats improved their memory. However, supplementation in humans offered contradicting results indicating more studies need to be done. A study published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" revealed positive results in treating spinal cord injuries in rats when they supplemented with a medicinal cocktail containing pregnenolone. More studies in this area are needed as well.

Considerations

Pregnenolone and DHEA are available commercially for supplementation, but the dosages vary widely and there is no set recommended dose. Any long-term affects from supplementing hormone precursors is unknown. It is important to know that supplements are not regulated by the FDA, and you should consult your doctor before taking pregnenolone or DHEA.