Pregnenolone Steal

Our story begins with the common and misunderstood cholesterol; cholesterol serves as a precursor to many vital components in the human body: bile, vitamin D, and steroid hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, aldosterone, DHEA, cortisol). Amazingly, even though cholesterol is a precursor to so many components of regular functions of the human body, cholesterol is considered a non-essential nutrient. A non-essential nutrient means that it is vital for survival, but does not have to be consumed as it can be manufactured from the body. The liver is capable of producing 800 - 1500 mg of cholesterol every day, even if no cholesterol is consumed in the diet! In other words, whether cholesterol is consumed in the diet or not, cholesterol will be found within the body due to its multiple functions.

Cholesterol functions in the body to keep cellular membranes intact and less rigid, allows for the production of bile for proper digestion, strengthens muscles, strengthens bones, boosts mental performance, helps regulate blood sugar, repairs damaged tissues, serves as a precursor to steroid hormones, and serves as a protective anti-oxidant when other anti-oxidants are not available to counteract the free radicals in the body.

All steroid hormones develop from a hormone called pregnenolone - and all pregnenolone is produced from cholesterol. The hormone pregnenolone will synthesize both progesterone and dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Progesterone will produce aldosterone and cortisol while DHEA will produce a myriad of sex hormones - testosterone, estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Each of these final steroid hormones - aldosterone, sex hormones, and cortisol - are vital for the proper functioning of the human body. Aldosterone balances salt levels; cortisol balances sugar levels and allows one to responde to stress; sex hormones keep an adult or teenager functioning at optimal levels. Of all of these hormones, the body considers cortisol to be the primary hormone of importance due to its ability to allow the body to respond to stress!

When the body encounters stress (financial, physical, mental, spiritual, etc.), the body releases cortisol. Cortisol allows the body to have an adequate supply of sugar for rapid energy production and keeps the mind awake and alert.

As an individual encounters stress and responds to it, a majority of the pregnenolone is directed into the pathway of cortisol production. As cortisol production increases, the remaining steroid hormones become deficient. This process is known as pregnenolone steal. As the cortisol pathway of production takes precedence over the other pathways, the body encounters hormonal imbalances. As a result, the body attempts to balance the production of the other deficient hormones by increasing the quantity of free cholesterol in the body; after all, more precursor equates to a greater probability of more products.

Modern medicine often fails to observe this phenomenon holistically. Most individuals will be given statin drugs for high cholesterol noted on a blood test. Yet, the high cholesterol is just a result of the underlying hormonal imbalances. A majority of the people with high cholesterol also have adrenal fatigue, thyroid disorders, infertility, depression, mental unclarity (fogginess), and insomnia.

By simply balancing the excessively high cortisol levels in the body and teaching proper techniques for lowering and responding to stress, the individual can literally reverse a majority (if not all) of their interrelated health conditions.