The body’s primary protector against any and all stress life can throw at you.
Pregnenolone: what it is, how it works, and why adding it in as a supplement could be a game changer for you.
[THREAD]
Pregnenolone: what it is, how it works, and why adding it in as a supplement could be a game changer for you.
[THREAD]
We just dropped a video detailing these effects of pregnenolone, so be sure to check that out for more in depth analysis
youtu.be
youtu.be
This is the HPA axis. When the body perceives stress, the hypothalamus releases a hormone called CRH or CRF, which signals the pituitary to release a hormone called ACTH. ACTH then gets sent to the adrenals to produce the “stress hormone" cortisol.
ACTH also stimulates the production of pregnenolone.
Pregnenolone INHIBITS CRH/CRF release, lowering further production of cortisol. This is huge!
Pregnenolone INHIBITS CRH/CRF release, lowering further production of cortisol. This is huge!
Cortisol also inhibits CRF. However, pregnenolone is produced in this instance to counteract the effects of cortisol. While cortisol is catabolic and produces stress processes, pregnenolone does the opposite: it protects against tissue breakdown and halts stress processes.
Unfortunately, as we age, we typically produce less pregnenolone and more cortisol. If prolonged long enough, chronic stress can induce lower cortisol output due to adrenal damage or desensitization, but still result in higher CRF/CRH and ACTH.
CRF/CRH and ACTH, while often neglected in terms of their effects on stress outside of producing cortisol, are also independent contributors to stress and disease.
Disinhibition of CRH/CRH and ACTH release is seen in a variety of diseases. These hormones play significant roles in seemingly unrelated conditions, due to its signaling role as well as its ability to trigger inflammation.
Prengnolone’s ability to inhibit the hypothalamic release of CRH/CRF is a unique property that distinguishes it from many other compounds. That is, it targets stress at the most basic and fundamental biological root cause.
Pregnenolone also functionally inhibits the receptor for cortisol, so that is cannot effectively transmit the stress signaling.
To go along with this, more pregnenolone means more of its metabolites. Two important ones are progesterone and allopregnanolone. Both of these compounds have independent anti-stress effects, further bolstering the importance of pregnenolone.
Pregnenolone largely gets converted into progesterone, which not only inhibits CRH/CRF as well, but also is a direct antagonist on the cortisol receptors. Progesterone also has GABAnergic effects, which is the key relaxing signaling molecule in the brain (and body).
Another compound which pregnenolone largely gets converted into is allopregnanolone. Allopregnanolone is perhaps our body’s primary endogenous GABAnergic steroid, exerting potent relaxing effects that also happen to protect the gut.
Let’s talk a bit about the gut and inflammation. Pregnenolone acts on critical pathways in the development of gut problems as well as general systemic inflammation. CRH is a known player in promoting a variety of inflammatory mediators (serotonin and nitric oxide)
Critically, there are the TLRs (toll like receptors), which are the body’s primary way of recognizing pathogens and initiating immune response. Pregnenolone actually degrades TLR2/4, perhaps the two most important TLRs, which recognize very common bacterial antigens.
TLR2/4 play huge roles in a variety of inflammatory conditions, and are especially important in the gut where they trigger serotonin release and subsequent intestinal problems like hypersensitivity, diarrhea and discomfort.
Pregnenolone also BLOCKS the CB1 (cannabinoid) receptor, in addition to its potential to have GABAnergic effects, which are key pathways in drug cravings. Many drugs actually release pregnenolone, and pregnenolone can prevent drug cravings and intoxication.
Activation of the CB1 receptor also seems to be a primary mechanism by which obesity and metabolic abnormalities can be induced by omega 6 PUFA seed oils
This is why I refer to pregnenolone as the body’s primary endogenous anti-stress compound, or “the great stabilizer.” It acts on the most fundamental aspects of stress and inflammation, and ends up having a profound protective effect.
I have had the pleasure of speaking with the family who runs Health Natura, whose pregnenolone and other products I use personally. I’m proud to say that we represent them and their pregnenolone product, which you can purchase here: healthnatura.com
Thanks for reading through this. Feel free to give us a RT if you found this interesting or useful. We offer consultations with in depth answers to your questions about anything (including pregnenolone), or just want more A&O content, check out: lnk.bio
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