What it is
An endogenous steroid synthesized from cholesterol and acting as the metabolic precursor to most other steroid hormones. Available as an over-the-counter oral supplement in the US.
How it works
Serves as an upstream substrate for steroidogenesis (DHEA, progesterone, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and sex steroids) and also acts directly as a neurosteroid modulating GABA-A and NMDA receptor function.
Where it's used
Used as a dietary supplement and studied in research for cognitive, mood, and neurosteroid-related effects.
FDA-approved use
Regulated as a dietary supplement in the US; not FDA-approved as a drug.
Tracking it
Pregnenolone is oral, which makes consistency the whole game — a simple daily check-off with a reminder beats memory every time. with a half-life of about 2 hours, a dose log also lets a tracker model the relative amount still in your system between doses.
Source
Public reference
Last reviewed 2026-06-11