Pregnenalone — The Mother of Steroid Hormones

One of the hormones you probably have not heard of is PREGNENOLONE (P). It is a hormone made in the adrenal gland and is considered the mother of steroid hormones because it is the precursor or the first hormone that then becomes the hormones testosterone, DHEA, estradiol, cortisol and progesterone. The physiologic effects of these hormones are dependent on the amount of Pregnenolone in the body.   As we age Pregnenolone decreases as do the other hormones it produces. Why don’t we just take pregnenolone then? Because it is a complex system that requires many enzyme reactions and the presence of other glands to process pregnenolone into other hormones!