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Pregnenolone - breaks needed?

Messages
25
Hi,

I'm 45yrs old and I've taken pregnenolone for about 3yrs now - 10mg daily, sublingually. I was prescribed it by a private dr for my cfs, lyme, hashimotos and possible perimenopause etc. I came off it a month ago as I read you should have breaks from it and shouldn't take it continually.

About 2 weeks after being off it I started getting very anxious and depressed, panic attacks etc and bad PMT. I've gone back on it today in the hope I get back to feeling normal again as I don't feel myself at all! :(

Does anyone who takes it have regular breaks from it, or do you happily take it continually? Any other females here take it on a longterm basis?

My Dr put me on it and didnt mention breaks. Unfortunately quite shortly after she stopped practising in the UK as she moved to Australia!

Any help gratefully received - I don't post very often, but you've all been so helpful in the past :)

Kind regards
 

WoolPippi

Senior Member
Messages
556
Location
Netherlands
I take Progesterone which converts to Pregnenolone at night, in me. I take Progesterone 100 mg daily, regardless of my period. This is oral and about 10% gets admitted to the body by the liver, so I'm at the same dose as you are, only for Progesteron instead of Pregnenolone. 10 mg is the dose a healthy body makes/needs per day, for Progesteron.

Towards the end of my cycle I up the dosage because of cycle fluctuation. I'm nearly 44 and the last couple of months I need to take 300 mcg for a few days because I get the exact symptoms you mention. I think perimenopause is knocking at my door. I plan to take as many mg as needed, I know which symptom to look for when it's too much.

At the start of my period 100 mcg is just a tad too much and it gets converted into Pregnenolone very clearly: it's a potent sleep drug.

It is clear to me that both hormones are neurotransmitters and I need them both to maintain normal brain chemistry. My endocrinologist has not mentioned breaks, ever, I do not see why there should be. As far as I'm concerned -and I keep repeating that I only speak for me and my body- I naturally lack in these hormones and I need the supplementation. Besides, the body likes routines.

I think you usurped your in-body-stock in the two weeks after you stopped. I hope you feel better as soon as you're replenished!

For the last few years I also supplement Hydrocortison and I know from that that the producing gland might stop producing it itself if over-supplementation is around all the time. With this hormone I would consider taking breaks to see where the gland (adrenal) stands and whether it's prepared to function fully again.
With Progesteron and Pregnenolone I do not consider this at all, even though it's the same gland that should produce these hormones (yes that's correct, Progesteron and Pregnenolone are produced by the adrenal glands and are the most important of the lot), but I've been lacking these all my life and the cortisol malfunction is only acquired. The cause of the lacking is different.

My life long symptoms because of Progesteron deficiency are as you describe: anxious, depressed, panic and PMS. A tell tale sign in me is thoughts about the hopelessness of life especially and an inability to sit back and just relax.
I take NPC to counter cycle-related shortages. This works immediately, another sign nervous signals are involved, not just hormonal levels.

If you take too much Pregnenolone you get sleepy, about 1 hour after you take it. You sleep it off in about 4 hours. If this is you you know you take too much, maybe. If you don't get sleepy you're not taking too much, is my thought. If you take a break you're giving your body a scare. Is what I think.
 

drob31

Senior Member
Messages
1,487
I'd like to know as well. I've been taking 100 mg / day for 3 months. At first it turned my brain back on and I was jittery. Then I had periods of feeling decent. I had pregnenelone serum measured and it was 110 ng/dl. Reference range was just <126, and I was still less this with 100 mg / day, which means my levels are optimal.

I'm thinking of tapering down a little, maybe to 50 mg a day. Out of my 1000 supplements, it provided the most noticeable positive effects. Evidence of hpa-axis issues?
 
Messages
25
Hi,

Thanks for your replies! It's a tough one isn't it! I think I probably did shock my system coming straight off it ..... Should've tapered down if anything, then gauged how I felt. Have just taken my 2nd 10mg pill (first one back on it was yesterday morning).

Drob31 - what country are you in? If in the UK, how did you get your pregnenolone levels tested please?

Thank you both for your replies, it's much appreciated.

X
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
My understanding with pregnenolone and dhea is that they dont have negative feedback issues like say testosterone or hydrocortisone ie if stop testosterone than it suppresses your natural production and u have to wait for things to start working again. So preg and dhea dont put natural production to sleep but i guess it is additive to what we make so stopping supps can take some adjusting. Good call to probably taper if been 9n for awhile ?
 
Messages
25
My understanding with pregnenolone and dhea is that they dont have negative feedback issues like say testosterone or hydrocortisone ie if stop testosterone than it suppresses your natural production and u have to wait for things to start working again. So preg and dhea dont put natural production to sleep but i guess it is additive to what we make so stopping supps can take some adjusting. Good call to probably taper if been 9n for awhile ?

Hi Heapsreal!

Yep, agreed ..... Suppose tapering anything is a good idea if you've been on it a while.

I am maybe just missing the supply of it, if I was low in it anyway if you see what I mean?! From what you've read, do you think breaks from it are needed?

Kind regards,
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
Hi Heapsreal!

Yep, agreed ..... Suppose tapering anything is a good idea if you've been on it a while.

I am maybe just missing the supply of it, if I was low in it anyway if you see what I mean?! From what you've read, do you think breaks from it are needed?

Kind regards,


I think if you're low in hormones without hrt, then really should stay on.

only idea of stopping/tapering off is if one feels it not helping and then see how one feels off these hormones and again when restarted. Stop start is just a trial to see if treatments are of help??
 
Messages
25
I only came off because I read you weren't meant to stay on it continuously ... Even on the Souce Naturals bottle it says not to be taken for more than 30 days continuously..... Who knows!

Maybe it's just a case of do what works best for you - no one size fits all.....

Thanks Heaps!
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
I only came off because I read you weren't meant to stay on it continuously ... Even on the Souce Naturals bottle it says not to be taken for more than 30 days continuously..... Who knows!

Maybe it's just a case of do what works best for you - no one size fits all.....

Thanks Heaps!


Could be for women to work in with their monthly cycle????
 

WoolPippi

Senior Member
Messages
556
Location
Netherlands
I worry how easy this site speaks of DHEA. My endocrinologist said to not take DHEA if you're female because we cannot predict how the body will convert it. It may easily convert into testosteron. He literally said: "feel good, grow a moustache."

Since Pregnenolone is the precursor for both DHEA and Progesteron it also gives no guarantee into which it will be converted, I'd think...

Your reference site is by someone who sells books and is into supplements. I would prefer a real life doctor's opinion. Your own never said to take breaks. Mine never said so (dr. Thierry Hertoghe in Bruxelles, does broad spectrum hormone panels, 24 hrs)
That being said, the page you link to makes a lot of sense :)
 
Messages
25
I worry how easy this site speaks of DHEA. My endocrinologist said to not take DHEA if you're female because we cannot predict how the body will convert it. It may easily convert into testosteron. He literally said: "feel good, grow a moustache."

Since Pregnenolone is the precursor for both DHEA and Progesteron it also gives no guarantee into which it will be converted, I'd think...

Your reference site is by someone who sells books and is into supplements. I would prefer a real life doctor's opinion. Your own never said to take breaks. Mine never said so (dr. Thierry Hertoghe in Bruxelles, does broad spectrum hormone panels, 24 hrs)
That being said, the page you link to makes a lot of sense :)
Hi Woolpippi,

I must say your quote 'feel good, grow a moustache' did make me chuckle!!!! :-O I understand his point though, very well - a moustache would make you feel bad in itself!!!!! :/

So would you not take pregnenolone because you couldn't be sure what it was converting to? Although, it can raise oestrogen too I think (?!) and men take it.

I totally get your point about motives of some sites ..... And a hidden agenda.

So, Dr Thierry is your Dr? I was going to ask if you were seeing a Dr in the UK as he sounds good! Never mind!

Thanks muchly.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
Pregnenolone converts to progesterone, not the other way around. It is synthesized in mitochondria from cholesterol, not produced in the adrenals, under the influence of various pituitary hormones such as ACTH, FSH and LH.

The vast majority of progesterone comes from the corpus luteum in pre menopausal women, not the adrenals.

I don't see any need to take breaks with pregnenolone so long as you are monitoring your levels and making sure they are not too high. If you are not monitoring, breaks are probably a good idea.

Optimal pregnenolone for women is typically considered to be approx 200ng/dl.

10 mg of pregnenolone is a tiny dose. I can't see any need to take breaks from this low of a dose at all.

DHEA often converts to estrogen in women. It's pretty easy to tell if you are getting too much testosterone from it and then cut back. Not taking it if you are low because of what it might do is ridiculous when it has potent effects as a neurosteroid in its own right.
 
Messages
25
Pregnenolone converts to progesterone, not the other way around. It is synthesized in mitochondria from cholesterol, not produced in the adrenals, under the influence of various pituitary hormones such as ACTH, FSH and LH.

The vast majority of progesterone comes from the corpus luteum in pre menopausal women, not the adrenals.

I don't see any need to take breaks with pregnenolone so long as you are monitoring your levels and making sure they are not too high. If you are not monitoring, breaks are probably a good idea.

Optimal pregnenolone for women is typically considered to be approx 200ng/dl.

10 mg of pregnenolone is a tiny dose. I can't see any need to take breaks from this low of a dose at all.

DHEA often converts to estrogen in women. It's pretty easy to tell if you are getting too much testosterone from it and then cut back. Not taking it if you are low because of what it might do is ridiculous when it has potent effects as a neurosteroid in its own right.
Thanks Ema for your explanation and thoughts, it's really helped to clarify it all.

Think I will try and get a hormone test too, see what's going on ....