Asthma is a common respiratory disorder caused by an oversensitive immune system. In theory, supplements such as pregnenolone may be able to help relieve some of the symptoms of asthma, but the safety and effectiveness of this treatment has not been proven. Talk to your doctor before taking pregnenolone or any other other supplement.
Asthma Physiology
To understand how pregnenolone could be used as a treatment for asthma, it is important to understand the physiology behind asthma. Asthma is caused by an unusually sensitive immune system. If you have asthma, certain substances such as cold air, stress, dust and smog can trigger an intense inflammatory reaction in your body. The subsequent swelling and inflammation narrows your airways and makes it hard to breathe, causing shortness of breath and wheezing.
What Is Pregnenolone?
Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone that the human body makes and it serves as a precursor to other hormones in the body, including the mineralcorticoids and the corticosteroid hormones. Pregnenolone supplements are often touted as an alternative remedy for a variety of different health problems, including memory loss, depression, fatigue and stress. It may also be used in an attempt to prevent cancer or to help treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. As of time of publication, there is no scientific data that demonstrates that pregnenolone can be effective for treating any sort of disorder, notes the American Cancer Society.
How Could Pregnenolone Affect Asthma?
If you have asthma, your doctor may prescribe synthetic corticosteroids for you to take regularly. These drugs help reduce inflammation in your body, making it easier for your airways to stay open. Because pregnenolone is a precursor for your body's own corticosteroids, pregnenolone supplements could in theory increase the levels of corticosteroids in your body and reduce inflammation. However, this treatment has not been heavily researched; the only scientific article studying the effects of prenenolone on asthma is from a 1951 issue of "Annals of Allergy."
Considerations
Pregnenolone supplements have not been shown to be effective for treating any disease in humans, so it is unlikely that they will be of much use in helping you to control your asthma. High doses of pregnenolone can cause aggressiveness, trouble sleeping and may cause the growth of facial and body hair in women. Pregnenolone may also interact with some medications, so you should talk to your doctor before taking this or any other supplement.
