Pregnenolone provides a building block for all reproductive steroids including testosterone and estrogen. Made from dietary cholesterol, this hormone degrades into the anabolic steroid dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA. According to an April 2011 review in "Neuroscience," these two substances play an important role in physical and mental health. Both hormones decrease as you age creating deficiency syndromes. Over-the-counter supplements can reverse these age-related trends, but they may also cause side effects. Speak with a doctor before using DHEA and pregnenolone.
DHEA and Diabetes
The prevalence of diabetes ranges from 4 to 20 percent, according to a June 2011 article in "Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities." Many cases, however, remain undiagnosed. Symptoms of diabetes include difficulty controlling blood sugar levels. Increasing your activity and changing your diet can help prevent the development of diabetes. A study offered in the May 2011 edition of "Aging" evaluated whether taking DHEA can help as well. Older adults with diabetic symptoms received the steroid or a placebo each day for a year. The DHEA use improved sugar regulation relative to the placebo use. It also reduced the production of endogenous substances known to cause inflammation. Participants tolerated the supplement well.
DHEA and Strength
Your body breaks down with age. It, for example, becomes more difficult to regenerate muscle tissue causing frailty. This medical condition places people at risk for cardiac arrest, according to a May 2011 paper in "Heart Failure Reviews." An investigation presented in the September 2010 edition of the "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society" looked at the ability of DHEA to reverse frailty. Older, frail women received the anabolic steroid or an inert treatment for six months. All women also began an exercise routine and vitamin supplementation. Relative to placebo, DHEA increased lower body strength. This strength enhancement improved their physical functioning. Adverse events were temporary and mild.
Pregnenolone and Alcoholism
About 30 percent of Americans may have an alcohol problem, according to a report published in May 2011 in the "Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs." Such problems can lead to health complications including liver damage. Withdrawal from alcohol remains a difficult process despite medical advances. An experiment described in the December 2010 edition of "Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research" tested whether pregnenolone can reduce alcohol consumption in an animal model of alcoholism. Rodents trained to self-administer alcohol eventually overindulge. Such animals received pregnenolone or saline for several weeks. The hormone, relative to placebo, reduced alcohol intake without changing behavior. The rats did not show any signs of pregnenolone-related toxicity.
Pregnenolone and Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia affects almost one in 100 people, according to a review published in March in "Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment." The cause of this psychiatric disorder remains unknown, but decreased steroid levels may play an important role. A clinical trial published in the October 2010 edition of the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry" tested this hypothesis. Schizophrenic and schizoaffective adults were given pregnenolone or placebo for eight weeks. Relative to placebo, supplementation with pregnenolone improved schizophrenic symptoms. Patients receiving the steroid had better mental health and better physical functioning scores. Interestingly, the authors obtained similar results with DHEA treatment. The participants tolerated both hormones well, and side effects appeared minimal.
References
- "Neuroscience"; Clinical and Therapeutic Potentials of Dehydroepiandrosterone and Pregnenolone in Schizophrenia; Michael S. Ritsner; April 24, 2011
- "Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities"; Diabetes Among Adults With Cognitive Limitations Compared to Individuals With No Cognitive Disabilities; Amanda Reichard and Hayley Stolzle; June 2011
- "Aging"; Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Replacement Decreases Insulin Resistance And Lowers Inflammatory Cytokines in Aging Humans; Edward P. Weiss, et al.; May 10, 2011
- "Heart Failure Reviews"; Frailty and Multiple Comorbidities in the Elderly Patient With Heart Failure: Implications For Management; Khalil Murad and Dalane W. Kitzman; May 31, 2011
- "Journal of the American Geriatric Society"; Dehydroepiandrosterone Combined With Exercise Improves Muscle Strength and Physical Function in Frail Older Women; Anne M. Kenny, et al.; September 2010
- "Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs"; The "Gray Area" of Consumption Between Moderate and Risk Drinking; Deborah A. Dawson and Bridget F. Grant; May 2011
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