noun
- a steroid hormone that serves as a precursor to other hormones including testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol
Usage: biochemistry; medical
Examples
- Pregnenolone is produced primarily in the adrenal glands.
- The body converts cholesterol into pregnenolone as the first step in steroid hormone synthesis.
- Researchers are studying pregnenolone’s potential role in memory and cognitive function.
- Some people take pregnenolone supplements, though their effectiveness is debated.
- Pregnenolone levels naturally decline with age.
- The conversion of pregnenolone to other hormones requires specific enzymes.