Prenenolone is the basic precursor for the production of ALL the human steroid hormones, including DHEA, Progesterone, Estrogen, Testosterone, Cortisone, Cortisol and Aldosterone. Pregnenolone is not itself a steroid hormone. Pregnenolone has been used experimentally and medically, since the 1940's when it was found to increase productivity, reduce stress, and to be an excellent anti-inflammatory in conditions such as arthritis and allergies. Prenenolone is safe even at 1000 mg.
Many women prefer supplementing Pregnenolone because they experience few side effects.
Pregnenolone readily converts to progesterone. Several animal experiments reveal important clues to Pregnenolone's beneficial effect on memory and learning ability. Pregnenolone seems to reduce the excess release of, or reduce the negative effects of the adrenal stress steroid hormone Cortisol. Cortisol is toxic at high levels. Both acute and chronic stress release of excess Cortisol can damage the hippocampus, a mid-brain region essential to memory formation and retrieval.