Skip to main content

Pregnenolone Shunt

Meaning

The Pregnenolone Shunt, often discussed in the context of chronic stress, is a conceptual model describing the preferential diversion of the key steroid precursor pregnenolone toward the synthesis of essential stress hormones, primarily cortisol, at the expense of sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen. This physiological phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the “pregnenolone steal,” represents the body’s adaptive, survival-driven response to prioritize adrenal function over reproductive or anabolic processes. It is a critical consideration in the clinical management of chronic stress-induced sex hormone deficiency.