Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone produced from cholesterol and serves as the precursor to all other steroid hormones including cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen.
Category: Hormones
Also known as: pregnenolone, p5, serum pregnenolone
Reference range: 10–200 ng/dL (Source: ABIM)
Standard unit: ng/dL
High values may indicate
High pregnenolone levels may indicate congenital adrenal hyperplasia (specific enzyme deficiencies), adrenal tumors, or supplementation. Elevated levels are uncommon in routine testing.
Low values may indicate
Low pregnenolone levels may indicate adrenal insufficiency, aging-related decline, chronic stress, or cholesterol metabolism disorders, and may contribute to fatigue and hormonal imbalances.