PREGNENOLONE

[undine2006]

Hi,

Does anyone have experience of using this please? A friend sent me some to try. I have been taking very small amounts first thing with my morning dose of NDT, itdefinitely boosts energy levels and mental function. By mid-day I feel very slightly wired, wondering if maybe I should reduce my NDT intake.

Any advice gratefully received.

[Clutter]

Undine2006,

Why are you taking a steroid?

Taking other meds with NDT reduces absorption of NDT. You should take other meds 2 hours away from NDT.

[undine2006 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for that! Seems I have a lot to learn... I should have researched it more thoroughly: came across an article that called it the "Master Hormone" that improved thyroid function and thought that would not be a bad thing. Must say it has given me a lift - I'm cleaning windows which I don't usually have the energy for.

Nice to have improved mental clarity as well. I only take a tiny dose (less than 5mg) do you think its harmful?

[Clutter in reply to undine2006]

Undine2006,

I really don't know enough to comment.

[marsaday in reply to undine2006]

You are taking the right amount. Preg is best used in small or big doses. Small is best though.

Google the steroid hormone pathway diagram and see how it breaks down. Preg is a weak first stage steroid. It breaks down into other hormones and as this happens the strength of action increases.

So it is a safe hormone to use.

You are effectively adding to the adrenal side of the metabolic equation so this has an effect on thyroid uptake. It sounds like it is improving thyroid action.

Stay with a low dose but try get thyroid blood tests after a few weeks to see the effect on blood levels.

[undine2006 in reply to marsaday]

Thanks, I will. Think I may need to lower my NDT dose slightly too.

I have PTSD and don't cope with stress well, had a bad time of it recently which set me back a bit. Short-term memory and concentration got really bad and my energy levels dropped, so thought I'd give it a try. Its made a huge difference, feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed again. Will keep the dose low as I don't want to get over-stimulated.

Have also started taking retinol drops, seems thyroid probs make it harder to convert carotene to retinol. The skin at the top of my fingers was peeling, no amount of moisturiser helped. Couple of drops and problem solved.

[marigold22 in reply to undine2006]

I have some advice for you. Do not tell your GP, endo or any other medical person that you are taking it. I took prednisolone (5mg a day) back in early 2000's, it made me feel wonderful. That was because I was on much too low dose of T3 due to ignorant GP. However, I overdosed on prednisolone by mistake as it became addictive and I loved how I felt on it..... I could whizz around, only slept for 8 hours at a time (instead of the 18 hours without it). When i overdosed on it in 2013, my son took me to hospital as my behaviour was apparently peculiar. He thought I needed to be sectioned; the A&E doc realised I didn't need to be sectioned, my blood pressure was sky high & they thought I could well suffer a stroke that night.

However the long shot is - me taking prednisolone that was not prescribed by my doctor, got written on my medical notes. Then when other stuff happened, like I had arthritic hip, I got blamed for causing arthritic hip and thus costing the NHS money for hip replacement. See - can't win either way ! Just be careful

[undine2006 in reply to marigold22]

Good advice, thanks! GPs are so ignorant about nutrients and supplements its frightening. I have not come across a single one that understands thyroid probs.

BTW, I find magnesium oil excellent for arthritis. I make my own from Mg crystals - just dissolve in water

[marsaday]

The difference between predisolone and pregnenalone is huge though.

Pregnenalone sits under cholesterol production on the steroid hormone cascade and Pred would be at the bottom of the chain if it were not a manmade steroid. But essentially it is cortisol, so would be one of the strongest acting hormones in the cascade.

The weakest hormones sit at the top of the cascade and the strongest sit at the bottom and are the ones which really alter how the body works. So pregnenalone is a relatively safe hormone to use. It is seen not as a steroid in the UK and you can buy it as a food/vitamin type supplement.

A good thing to do as part of anyones health routine is to monitor BP, HR and temps so you can pick up changes in the body you don't actually notice. A higher BP is a good indicator all is not well and very often it is down to higher doses of a supplement e.g., thyroid meds or Pred in Marigold's case.

PS, i think pregnenalone has been used for PTSD in the past. I googled the link and this popped up. I am sure there is much more info on the net about pregnenalone usage and PTSD.

doctorbreen.com/additional-...

[undine2006]

Thanks for the link, I have it due to a decade of being stalked by a psycho nutter, not TBI. Amazingly, it was only diagnosed by a consultant who tested my adrenal function years later. My GP was well aware of my circumstances but never thought I might have it.

[Silver_Fairy]

There seems to be a mixing up of Pregnenolone and Prednisolone on this thread, not for the first time.