DHEA + Pregnenolone + DIM

Hormonal balance relies on a complex network of precursor hormones, metabolic pathways, and regulatory compounds. DHEA, DIM, and pregnenolone each play distinct yet complementary roles within this system. When combined, they form a multi-pathway approach to supporting endocrine health, cognitive function, and age-related hormonal changes. Together, these compounds support hormone synthesis, metabolism, and balance rather than targeting a single hormone in isolation.

What is DHEA?

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone the body makes naturally, mostly in the adrenal glands. It doesn’t act as a final hormone on its own. Instead, the body uses DHEA as a raw material to produce other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen.

DHEA levels are highest in early adulthood and gradually decline with age. As levels drop, some individuals notice changes in their energy, body composition, mood, and mental sharpness. Because different tissues can convert DHEA into the hormones they need locally, it plays a flexible role in supporting overall hormone balance rather than pushing levels in one direction.

DHEA is also active in the brain. It influences how nerve cells communicate and how the body responds to physical and psychological stress. As a result, researchers have studied it for its role in mood, stress resilience, and cognitive function.

What is Pregnenolone?

Pregnenolone is a hormone that the body makes from cholesterol and uses as the starting point for many other hormones. Before the body can produce DHEA, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, or estrogen, it must first make pregnenolone.

Pregnenolone is produced in the adrenal glands, reproductive organs, and brain. Because it sits at the top of the hormone-production chain, it supports the body’s ability to make and adjust hormones as needed, especially during periods of stress or age-related hormonal change.

In the brain, pregnenolone also acts directly on the nervous system. It plays a role in memory formation, mental clarity, and how the brain adapts to stress. Maintaining adequate pregnenolone levels helps support both hormonal flexibility and normal cognitive function.

What Is DIM?

DIM (diindolylmethane) is a compound the body makes when it breaks down indole-3-carbinol, a nutrient found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Unlike hormones such as DHEA or pregnenolone, DIM does not add hormones to the body or act as a hormone itself.

Instead, DIM supports the body’s ability to process and clear estrogen. We metabolize estrogen along different pathways, some of which are more favorable than others. Research suggests DIM helps shift estrogen metabolism toward forms that are easier for the body to manage and eliminate.

Because of this, many use DIM to support hormonal balance without suppressing estrogen production. It is relevant for both women and men, particularly in situations where estrogen metabolism—not estrogen levels themselves—may be a concern.