Still trying to get pregnenolone to work - advice welcome

[smokedsalmon]

I tried pregnenolone about a month ago based solely on the many positive reviews from others and across the internet. I was absolutely stunned by it, for about a week, after which I started getting really easily angered, and unable to sleep. I stopped for a few days, tried again at a lower dose (went from 30mg/day to 20mg/day), and was even more wowed. Jumped out of bed at 7am, hit the gym twice that day (cardio and lifting), excelled at work, visited my ex and smoothed some things over and had great sex, had am unusually great time hanging out with friends - seemed perfect. But alas, after a couple more days (some at just 10mg), the insomnia and short fuse set in. I put it aside for another week, and tried 20mg. Nothing happened. Took 10 more. Nothing. I read about tolerances forming, people "crashing", freaked out, and stopped for a few weeks.

Well, a few weeks later, I tried again with 30mg to see if anything would happen at all, and it did. Nothing eye opening, but have felt great the last 2 days since. I feel it's worth at least another experiment.

Really boils down to this...I remember reading about guys who take it once in a while versus daily, presumably to avoid these side effects. Any of you out there? What do you suggest?

 

[Gman86]

I tried pregnenolone about a month ago based solely on the many positive reviews from others and across the internet. I was absolutely stunned by it, for about a week, after which I started getting really easily angered, and unable to sleep. I stopped for a few days, tried again at a lower dose (went from 30mg/day to 20mg/day), and was even more wowed. Jumped out of bed at 7am, hit the gym twice that day (cardio and lifting), excelled at work, visited my ex and smoothed some things over and had great sex, had am unusually great time hanging out with friends - seemed perfect. But alas, after a couple more days (some at just 10mg), the insomnia and short fuse set in. I put it aside for another week, and tried 20mg. Nothing happened. Took 10 more. Nothing. I read about tolerances forming, people "crashing", freaked out, and stopped for a few weeks.

Well, a few weeks later, I tried again with 30mg to see if anything would happen at all, and it did. Nothing eye opening, but have felt great the last 2 days since. I feel it's worth at least another experiment.

Really boils down to this...I remember reading about guys who take it once in a while versus daily, presumably to avoid these side effects. Any of you out there? What do you suggest?

Thanks for posting your experience so far. What brand were you taking? And were you just taking it once in the morning?

 

[smokedsalmon]

Thanks for posting your experience so far. What brand were you taking? And were you just taking it once in the morning?

Taking Countrylife brand, and yea, just in the morning. I found it to be pretty stimulating.

 

[Gman86]

Taking Countrylife brand, and yea, just in the morning. I found it to be pretty stimulating.

Makes me want to try pregnenolone again. I think I’m gonna start with just a low dose and see how I feel. Like 5mgs or something like that.

What’s your current plan of action with it? You still taking it?

 

[smokedsalmon]

Makes me want to try pregnenolone again. I think I’m gonna start with just a low dose and see how I feel. Like 5mgs or something like that.

What’s your current plan of action with it? You still taking it?

Nope, terrified of it, lol.

Gonna wait a week or so, try it again and make sure I'm noticing it.

May mention it on my call with Defy tomorrow too if there's time

 

[Gman86]

Nope, terrified of it, lol.

Gonna wait a week or so, try it again and make sure I'm noticing it.

May mention it on my call with Defy tomorrow too if there's time

Im also with defy. If you remember, let us know what they say if you mention it to them.

 

[HealthMan]

Try pure encapsulations brand. When it comes to OTC hormones they are the best. I had some bad side effects using other brands of DHEA and pregnenolone. Zero side effects with pure encapsulations.

 

[smokedsalmon]

Hey guys, wanted to chime in after talking to Defy.

They suggested it's all trial and error, but the fact that I have more than enough DHEA suggests my pregnenolone is probably fine. So when I took it, it probably was taking various downstream hormones past a reasonable range.

I'm gonna lay off it for a couple weeks I think and see how I'm doing.

 

[Gman86]

Hey guys, wanted to chime in after talking to Defy.

They suggested it's all trial and error, but the fact that I have more than enough DHEA suggests my pregnenolone is probably fine. So when I took it, it probably was taking various downstream hormones past a reasonable range.

I'm gonna lay off it for a couple weeks I think and see how I'm doing.

Thanks for reporting back. My DHEA is always at the top of the range, so I’m assuming I’m making enough pregnenolone as well. Here are a few of my most recent readings

DHEA-S - 479 (106-464)
DHEA-S - 465 (106-464)
DHEA-S - 440 (106-464)
DHEA-S - 404 (106-464)

What is your DHEA level?

 

[smokedsalmon]

Only had it tested once recently and came back as 318 (138.5-475.2)

Could explain why there was a little room to bump things up but it didn't last forever.

 

[Gman86]

Only had it tested once recently and came back as 318 (138.5-475.2)

Could explain why there was a little room to bump things up but it didn't last forever.

Hmm, could be. But I doubt you not feeling well after a day or two has anything to do with DHEA levels. On HCG my levels almost doubled and my DHEA went to about 800. Didn’t feel any negative side effects. Dr Eric Serrano was on a podcast the other day saying he has a guy in his 80’s that takes a ridiculous high dosage of DHEA and has a level around 1200, and feels pretty good. I think Keith Nichols also says that he doesn’t mind if a persons DHEA gets to around 800, as long as they don’t have any negative symptoms. So you not feeling well after a few days on pregnenolone could be related to DHEA, but I highly doubt that it is.

But same principle applies. If you have plenty of DHEA, you could have plenty of pregnenolone. Which could mean all the other downstream hormones are being filled adequately. So raising pregnenolone levels for you might put one of those downstream hormones over the top and cause negative effects. I’m just saying it’s most likely not DHEA related.

 

[Sean Mosher]

There are also Sustained Release options you could try.
Could not tell from the post if that's something you've tinkered with or not.

 

[Vvs1]

There's a recent DHEA/pregnenolone video in a thread. I believe he recommended sublingual, and sustained release like Sean mentioned. SR will mimic natural.

 

[WillHouston]

I tried pregnenolone about a month ago based solely on the many positive reviews from others and across the internet. I was absolutely stunned by it, for about a week, after which I started getting really easily angered, and unable to sleep. I stopped for a few days, tried again at a lower dose (went from 30mg/day to 20mg/day), and was even more wowed. Jumped out of bed at 7am, hit the gym twice that day (cardio and lifting), excelled at work, visited my ex and smoothed some things over and had great sex, had am unusually great time hanging out with friends - seemed perfect. But alas, after a couple more days (some at just 10mg), the insomnia and short fuse set in. I put it aside for another week, and tried 20mg. Nothing happened. Took 10 more. Nothing. I read about tolerances forming, people "crashing", freaked out, and stopped for a few weeks.

Well, a few weeks later, I tried again with 30mg to see if anything would happen at all, and it did. Nothing eye opening, but have felt great the last 2 days since. I feel it's worth at least another experiment.

Really boils down to this...I remember reading about guys who take it once in a while versus daily, presumably to avoid these side effects. Any of you out there? What do you suggest?

OTC supplements are not regulated, regardless of brand and what they "promise". Rx'd Pharmaceutical grade is really the only way to be accurate when it comes to measuring true dosage and any results or side effects.

 

[Vince Carter]

You can presume that downstream conversion was bumped and along the lines with DHEA having been mentioned, if you had an increase in DHEA, that can aromatase very easily in men. The more likely outcome was that you got a surplus of Estrogen to account for the aggressive feelings.

There's really no *need to take those prohormones like Preg and DHEA but guys experiment and for some it's good and some it's not.

 

[stx359]

You can presume that downstream conversion was bumped and along the lines with DHEA having been mentioned, if you had an increase in DHEA, that can aromatase very easily in men. The more likely outcome was that you got a surplus of Estrogen to account for the aggressive feelings.

There's really no *need to take those prohormones like Preg and DHEA but guys experiment and for some it's good and some it's not.

Vince I was just curious if you could expand on your opinion on why the pro-hormones are unnecessary. Dr. C was always very aggressive with my DHEA, 25 mg twice a day, DHEA 365 (71-375 scale) but I don't know that i have ever actually discerned a difference. I take it anyway because it is relatively cheap and I don't have issues with estrogen but am always looking to simplify my regimen.

 

[Vince Carter]

You get this as a basic inclusion to a protocol you need these two, Preg and DHEA, they're typically overdosed and I just don't believe that they should be a basic thing, like they are. Start low, judge tolerance...25mg twice a day is extreme, IMHO.