Do we really need LH, or HCG, to convert Pregnenolone to downstream Hormones?

[Gianluca]

@Nelson Vergel, I'm going to tag you again on this. I just watched the video on the link below and enjoyed it. Looking really forward for the Thyroid one. In the video you mentioned again LH is needed to convert Pregnenolone to downstream hormones.

We had a quick chat on another post about the same subject, where I mentioned that despite I was not using HCG for several months and having my LH suppressed due to TRT, my Progesterone was at high end of the scale, by using 100mg Prenenolone RX. I recently read this study on Pregnenolone where it states that enzymes are responsible for the conversion of Pregnenolone to downstream hormones, here some of the text:

"For instance, the presence of the mitochondrial cholesterol transport and metabolism machinery, including steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) and CYP11A1, suggests that adipose and intestine tissues may have the ability to synthesize PREG de novo [70,75]. Moreover, almost all the steroid-converting enzymes downstream of PREG have been discovered in mouse or human adipose and intestine tissue "

My point is that if LH is needed for the conversion of downstream hormones, then all of those not using HCG should have Cortisol issues, low Aldosterone issue, and many other.

Attached is the full study

 

[Vince Carter]

I think that a lot of that reads well on paper and can be reasonable explained but IRL with guys on the forum any way, this just doesn't seem to work. Testosterone is downstream...yet he we are, lowT. Either there's an enzyme dysfunction in the hypogonadal male or the HCG mimics LH well enough to stim the testes to an extent, but not well enough to activate the downstream conversion.

I mean, if any of that theory actually worked, there'd be no guys on DHEA/Preg...or even Test for that matter. Ive run as much as 500iu 3x per week of HCG and my DHEA was a few points lower...certainly didn't help me in that regard.

 

[fifty]

Hcg does 0 for my dhea too. Dr Saya said often hcg is needed in much higher doses than 1000iu/wk to affect preg dhea etc.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Bonetti
Excellent question. I am glad when someone reads and adds a new question that obviously was not answered before.

Both LH and ACTH are needed for activation. When LH is shut down, ACTH can still activate enough to have downstream hormones like pregnenolone, cortisol, aldosterone, etc
I have not seen data about the contribution of LH and ACTH individually, though. I am sure there may be some data from mice somewhere.

 

[Gianluca]

Bonetti
Excellent question. I am glad when someone reads and adds a new question that obviously was not answered before.

Both LH and ACTH are needed for activation. When LH is shut down, ACTH can still activate enough to have downstream hormones like pregnenolone, cortisol, aldosterone, etc
I have not seen data about the contribution of LH and ACTH individually, though. I am sure there may be some data from mice somewhere.

View attachment 7399

thanks for posting this Nelson, now it makes sense to me. I guess someone using Hydrocortisone and suppressing ACTH and not on HCG may be in a dangerous zone.