OtherProhormoneOralNeurosteroid

Pregnenolone

Also known as P5 · 3-beta-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one

Written by enwyReviewed 5 Aug 20262 sources0 comments

The upstream 'mother' steroid synthesised from cholesterol from which all other steroid hormones derive. Sold as a nootropic and hormone-support supplement, it is chiefly a neurosteroid; systemic conversion to downstream sex hormones after oral dosing is limited and its cognitive claims are largely preclinical.

01 Overview

Pregnenolone sits at the head of the steroidogenic pathway: cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone, which then branches into progesterone, DHEA, and eventually androgens, estrogens, and corticosteroids. This makes it a precursor in principle, but oral supplementation does not reliably raise downstream sex hormone levels the way DHEA does.

Most interest is as a neurosteroid modulating GABA-A and NMDA receptors, with preclinical and small human work on memory, mood, and (as pregnenolone) potential use in schizophrenia and cannabis-related studies. Human efficacy data remain limited. It is unscheduled in the US.

02 Mechanism

Precursor to all steroid hormones via CYP17 and 3-beta-HSD; acts directly as a neurosteroid, with pregnenolone sulfate modulating GABA-A (negative) and NMDA (positive) receptors.

03 Dosing

Tier	Dose	Route	Notes
Supplement	10–50 mg/day	Oral	Common nootropic range.
Research (schizophrenia trials)	300–500 mg/day	Oral	High doses used in adjunctive psychiatric trials, under supervision.

04 Effects

Effect	Magnitude	Evidence
Neurosteroid modulation of mood/cognitionImproves memory in animal models; human cognitive benefits are unproven and modest at best.	Small, inconsistent in humans	Preclinical
Adjunct in schizophrenia symptom studiesSmall RCTs report modest improvement in negative/cognitive symptoms as an add-on; not established therapy.	Small effect on negative symptoms	Clinical

05 Side effects

Effect	Severity	Frequency	Evidence	Countermeasures
Sleep disturbance and overstimulationInsomnia or agitation reported, particularly with evening dosing.	Mild	Uncommon	Anecdotal
Unpredictable downstream hormone shiftsHigh doses could theoretically shift progesterone/androgen levels.	Mild	Rare	Anecdotal

06 Legal status

United States

Dietary supplement

Not scheduled; sold OTC. · as of Jan 2026

07 References

Pregnenolone as a neurosteroid and adjunctive treatment in schizophreniaNeuropsychopharmacology, 2010

Pregnenolone and memory: preclinical reviewBrain Res Rev, 2001

08 Discussion0 comments

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This page is reference information, not medical advice. Doses and protocols are documented as they appear in the clinical literature and in practice — describing them is not a recommendation to use them. Countermeasures listed here are not a substitute for a physician. Legal status varies by jurisdiction and changes.