Pregnenelone?

[dominover]

Hi everyone.
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to have a Pregnenelone defficiency? If so, and this is the crux of my question, how does someone become deficient in pregnenelone? My understanding it that pregnenelone is produced from cholesterol so would a deficiency be a result of a breakdown in that process?

Also... Can a pregnenelone deficiency be passed down from father to son?

Thanks

 

[drob31]

I think you can be deficient in pregnenolone when your body is using it up too quickly and or you don't have enough LDL cholesterol. This may be happening because you have a dysregulated HPA-axis. You may have a genetic deficiency in enzymes that convert cholesterol to pregnenolone, or from pregenolone to other hormones, but it's probably unlikely.

 

[dominover]

Thanks for coming back. My understanding is that pregnenelone (produced from Cholesterole) goes into the production of DHEA. DHE thus serves as a precursor for many other hormones. Either to produce cortisole after a chain of other hormones are produced,, or towards the chain of production leading to testosterone. So, if you are under allot of stress and your body is using up allot of pregnenelone then I'm confused how this would lead to a deficiency in it's production (besides what you have said about genetic defects). Pregnenelone would still be there somewhere but would be used up in the DHEA >> Cortisol production chain.

Having said this, and this view is not backed by any hard science, if you are not producing enough Pregnenelone then that is the only time you would show up as a deficiency, maybe in DHEA or pregnenelone it'self. Can pregnenelone production not be tested for it's presence straight after it has been produced from cholesterole rather when it has been sucked up by DHEA to be drained by other domineering hormone needs?

My sleep improves dramatically from using DHEA supplementation in low doses. But I'm beginning to wonder if taking DHEA is the right approach. Maybe I should be looking at the root cause of a possible DHEA defficiency . I'm just speculating?

I'm just feeling around so feel free to correct me on any of the above.

 

[drob31]

Some people think that when your HPA-axis is dysfunctional, that your body "steals" pregnenolone and uses it to make cortisol. This would lead to a deficiency in other hormones on the DHEA side, and others like aldosterone. It's sort of a run away stress response, and something like low levels of glutathione in the periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus cause the HPA-axis dysfunction (one theory).

DHEA also has other uses besides being converted in to testosterone. Infact, most of the testosterone in men is produced by the testes. That being said, DHEA has power effects on the immune system and is antagonistic to cortisol, so if you had high cortisol, it would theoretically help you sleep.

 

[dominover]

Would anyone know if there is a test for pregenelone levels? Is this something which is normally done?

 

[mermaid]

I googled this and apparently there is this test
https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/pregnenolone/tab/sample/

I take a little pregnenolone from time to time but as I am 63 it's quite likely that my pregnenolone production is decreasing anyway. I began to do this last year, not as a result of the above test, but after the Adrenal Saliva test showed low levels of cortisol throughout the day, on the suggestion of Dr Myhill. I struggle energy wise especially at this time of year, and find it hard to wake up after 8-9 hrs sleep.