Douglas Laboratories Pregnenolone, 5 mg

Just ordered my second bottle of Pregnenolone. Here's why: When discovering the numerous symptoms (muscle loss, weight loss, fatique, brain fog, apathy, etc.) as a result of extreme stress, age (I'm a 68 year old woman), toxins, and Hashimoto's Thyroidism (new for me) and the return of Lupus (symptoms which had been gone for couple decades), I decided to determine what building blocks I needed to give my body to heal, instead of taking hormones (Thyroid, Testosterone) for the rest of my life as first suggested by my doctor. With additional labwork it was easy to determine what was needed. Urine had no detectable iodine. Selenium on the low side. T3 too low. Testosterone flat lined. Folate almost flat. Vitamin D3 at 18. These were the worse. So I started reading/research on hormones and Hashimoto's. Now taking appropriate vitamins and minerals, including iodine and selenium, and talking with my doctor, I began taking pregnenolone - 1/2 tablet a day, very gradually (like over weeks) building up to 2 tablets (10mg) every morning. I then added DHEA very gradually until now I take 1 tablet (5mg) every morning along with my iodine drops and selenium. At these dosages I feel alive, joy (which I did not know I had been missing for so long!), energetic, clear headed, motivated. It may also be helped by the B-complex I now take, or whatever. I know if I decrease the Pregnenolone and/or DHEA, I can feel the decrease in these qualities. I do know Hashimoto's is going into remission since body temperature and other symptoms have now consistently stabilized. And Lupus symptoms disappeared. In fact, even my 4 decade long arthritis disappeared. And I have some muscles! In a few months more labwork will be done to get true status to convince a doctor, but the results I am experiencing greatly satisfy me. Why Pregnenolone (and DHEA)? Pregnenolone is a precursor hormone. It is used by the body to make both stress and sex hormones. Pregnenolone MAKES Progesterone and DHEA., AND DHEA makes Testosterone (women need it if they want muscles to build and not waste away). In times of stress, the body diverts a lot of the pregnenolone toward stress hormone production (such as cortisol) and away from sex hormone production. This is a process called "Pregnenolone Steal" where Pregnenolone is used by the body to create more of the cortisol hormone to deal with the stress and thus is less available for the other hormones. The answer is to reduce/manage stress to lessen need of cortisol and have more pregnenolone to build other hormones. DHEA reduces the production of autoantibodies, which obviously I need since I am dealing with two autoimmune diseases. I know that as we age, we produce less DHEA (as well as pregnenolone), so a major stressful event most certainly jeapordizes a Senior's health/life.

In reality, I didn't quite know what to expect. I'm always on the hunt for products that reduce generalized anxiety without making me feel out of it or lethargic, and I am rarely impressed. However, I was actually rather surprised when that is exactly what this did. After about an hour or so (maybe less) I start feeling energetic and happy. I want to hang out with friends and family, and when I do I'm much more conversational and engaging. I bought this hoping for a gentle push in that direction, but this exceeded my expectations. I've taken both full and half-tablet doses both once and twice a day, and I've even had several days where I didn't take it at all. I have to say I've noticed quite a difference in my mood and energy level on those days. I take other supplements, as well, so there might be synergistic effect happening, but this product definitely makes a difference on the days I take it. As far as taking it, I go with the sublingual option (letting it dissolve under the tongue), since that is what my research has shown to be the most effective. In that regard, it dissolves within several minutes and has a pleasant enough taste. Don't get it me wrong, it doesn't taste good, it's more that it's good in an ignorable, flavorless kind of way. Overall, I've seen definite results and I will be reordering when this bottle is done.

If you're looking to boost your hormones and natural methods such as eating more cholesterol from foods like eggs isn't working, this is worth a shot. A little goes a long way with Pregnenolone. Start with a quarter of a tablet first, let it dissolve and absorb in your mouth. Pregnenolone is the grandmother hormone to all your other hormones, so it's impossible to know what it'll turn into and is sort of a gamble. However it does boost your mental function quite a bit. Your mind feels sharper and quicker. Keep an eye on your blood pressure while taking it. Someone I know had an increase in blood pressure while taking Pregnenolone. As long as you don't have any side effects, it's worth it. If you have side effects at the lowest dosage then it isn't for you and I would focus on other natural methods to boost your hormones.

I'm sure you've heard that pregnenolone improves vision or can overall heighten the senses... well it's true, I notice the effects within a few hours after taking 10 or 20 mg but it takes several days of supplementing with a smaller dose to notice the visual effects so if you've been taking this for awhile and have stopped seeing the visual effects simply take a smaller amount for several days then increase the dosage by 5-10 mg. Colors will seem more vibrant, brighter and clearer, shapes and patterns become more obvious and when I take a walk everything seems so much more lively and eye catching. These visual effects may last a few hours to a whole day. It's really a remarkable supplement that offers a remarkable experience and health benefits. If you want a product that does exactly what it's advertised to do and you want to improve your brain health then consider buying this. This does exactly what pregnenolone is supposed to do and each tablet is nearly flavorless save for some seemingly sweet notes as it dissolves, I think that's the Mannitol if I'm not mistaken. And please, if you can't have something in your mouth without it tasting like candy then go somewhere else. This product is for adults.

It is still too early to tell the full story.....only have taken for 5 days.....but here are the positives: more energy, seems like better blood circulation, a little less muscle & sciatica pain.....negatives: a little heart speed up, my knee still has some patellar pain, and it seemed to cause a mild to moderate headache in 4 out of five days. I will stay off for 2 days and then resume & see. Also, experimented with taking only 1/2 of the 5 mg tab some of the days. Going forward I think the thing to do is keep with the 1/2 pill....some of the effects may be cumulative. Also, take a couple days off each week (5 on, 2 off).

Muy buena

Waste of money, can't return. Did nothing. Side effects I read about are awful - hair loss, weight gain, depression. No thanks.

This is a good product in terms of boosting energy, cutting pain, and generally helping with mood and focus, as well as reducing symptoms of peri-menopause. For about 5 days in a row I tried taking 1.25mg, or a quarter of the 5mg caplet to see whether it would assist in energizing me during exercise and dampen some of my peri-menopause symptoms, which include abdominal weight gain, bloating, occasional difficulty sleeping, and "warm" (though not yet hot) flashes that happen now and then. I am 45, so am taking this to mitigate some of these symptoms of peri-menopause, as well as improve energy, mood, and focus. The problem I have with Pregnenolone is of course dependent upon how my body processes or uses it, but I found that it overcharged me, meaning that although it did give me extra energy, it also had the effect of keeping me awake all night, although I took it at 6:00 AM each day before going for a run. As with other androgen-type supplements I have taken, I find I am unable to sleep much at all, even after a few days of adjustment. I also find that although they have the wonderful effect of cutting food cravings, particularly cravings for sugar, it causes me to bloat out and retain water in my stomach and upper thighs which seems to hang on for a day or two after I stop taking the Pregnenolone. Because I read so many positive responses for Pregnenolone, particularly by women who are perhaps in menopause, or those who have chronically low energy levels or actually sleep too much, Pregnenolone may work for you. I wish it hadn't caused these effects, because I certainly appreciated the mood lift and the energy lift , not to mention the