The Power and Pitfalls of Andro

Picture this: your 17 year old is at the plate, bases are loaded, the count is full. If he hits it out of the park, his team wins and he may get a college scholarship. Yes, there is a lot of pressure on these young student athletes to perform. In fact, they often look for an advantage, perhaps a pill, to help get that extra competitive edge in strength, speed and endurance. The new buzz word for this trend is "andro", or androstenedione -- the supplement which has received a lot of publicity thanks to the famous home run slugger Mark McGwire.


Androstenedione is actually a steroid hormone. Everyone produces some; in fact, "andro" is part of the whole complex of the hormonal feedback and production system in our body. Through pathways and enzyme systems (sort of like highways with someone telling us which exit to take), the "andro" can be converted to produce more testosterone (male hormone) or Estrone (female hormone). This conversion is regulated by many factors, which is best explained by "Mother Nature". Basically, our bodies are used to our own internal regulatory system. When we add a supplement to this system, the initial trick of extra hormone may really cause Mom Nature to get quite annoyed, which can cause some problems.

What Can Happen If We Take Additional "Andro"?

"Andro" is considered an androgenic-anabolic steroid. This means that it is a male sex hormone which can temporarily increase testosterone levels and theoretically build up muscle mass while decreasing body fat. It can also lead to hair loss (more profits for the makers of Rogaine), increased acne, an increased sex drive, shrinking testicles(where did they go?), aggressive behavior and potential liver damage. This supplement may also lower your own testosterone production, thus causing other problems with your own internal hormonal regulatory system.

It's Natural, So It's Safe, Right?

Wrong, Mr. Biceps. As I reported in a previous article ('Natural' Doesn't Always Mean Safe), Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which removed the FDA's authority to evaluate the safety of dietary food supplements unless consumers reported any dangerous side effects. This basically leaves the consumer in a bind: we can never assume the nutritional food supplement is safe, or actually contains the ingredient listed on the product label. How did this act ever pass?!!! So, in the meantime, "andro" is not regulated and is available and promoted by the sellers and manufacturers of this product.

It's Legal, So Why Not?

Well, while "andro" is legal to use by professional baseball players, it has been banned by other sporting agencies including the NFL, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the NCAA. There are many safety concerns, especially since it is an anabolic steroid which can be converted into testosterone.

The proponents state that "andro" only temporarily boosts testosterone levels (increases can be detected 10-15 minutes after taking the pill and can stay elevated up to three hours after one dose). They further state that the elevated testosterone levels aren't in the body long enough to cause any detrimental effects, and when taken as directed, is safe and does not cause a decline in ones' own natural testosterone production.

The skeptics state that the "safe" dosage isn't really known: currently manufacturers recommend anywhere from 50mg to 100mg per day. They further state that the manufacturers are making claims about its effectiveness without knowing the long term health effects. The bottom line is that there are not enough good studies out there which back up the safety or effectiveness of androstenedione.

Homerun or Strikeout?

In my opinion, "andro" as a supplement is a strikeout. I do not recommend this to adults; and absolutely discourage any use of this supplement by children or teenagers. I believe non-medically supervised hormonal supplementation can be dangerous, and possible short term benefits may be followed by long term complications.

If you are considering or currently using androstenedione, please consult your family physician. Remember, "it's not nice to fool mother nature".

Source: 1998 Rob Danoff, DO, MS