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Pregnenolone Diversion

Meaning

Pregnenolone diversion is a term used in clinical endocrinology to describe the preferential shunting of the steroid hormone precursor pregnenolone toward the synthesis of one specific class of hormones, typically cortisol, at the expense of other vital steroid hormones like DHEA, testosterone, and estrogen. This diversion often occurs under conditions of chronic physiological or psychological stress, as the body prioritizes the production of the survival hormone cortisol. This metabolic shift, sometimes referred to as “pregnenolone steal,” can lead to a downstream deficiency of other critical steroid hormones.