Clinton Aide: Analyze Andro

May 18, 1999 / 5:54 PM EDT / AP

President Clinton's drug policy adviser wants the federal government to investigate the health effects of androstenedione, the over-the-counter supplement Mark McGwire made famous.

Barry McCaffrey wrote to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Trade Commission urging that they study recent Canadian and Swedish laboratory analyses of the product, known as andro.

Androstenedione is classified as a dietary supplement that the body metabolizes into testosterone, which is considered a steroid. It is banned by the Olympics, the NCAA, the NFL, and the men's and women's tennis tours.

Baseball is studying the effects of the product before making a decision.

Andro soared in popularity last fall after McGwire revealed he used it last season when he hit a record 70 home runs. Steroid experts warn there could be serious health consequences for teen-agers who take it to emulate McGwire.

McCaffrey asked the agencies to confirm tests by the Swedish Board of Customs and the Canadian Doping Control Lab, which found some andro products contained significant quantities of testosterone not mentioned on the label.

"If this is the case, a large number of Americans who are taking these products are unwittingly placing themselves in serious jeopardy," McCaffrey wrote.

If their review backs up the Canadian and Swedish findings, McCaffrey urged that andro be reclassified as an anabolic steroid under the Controlled Substances Act.

"We know this substance serves as a steroid precursor, which alone is grounds for caution," McCaffrey said. "Given the dramatic increases in youth use rates of andro, and the mere potential that such use may have severe health consequences, it is important that we act swiftly."

He cited anecdotal information indicating young people are taking 200 to 300 times the recommended dosage, a practice known as "stacking," and some are exhibiting side effects "similar to those found with steroids, such as heightened aggressiveness and problem acne."

Its wide availability over the Internet makes it vulnerable to misuse, he noted.