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Buy 'em while you can, the ban is going to happen soon....
-Sub.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Thursday announced a crackdown on use of the dietary supplement androstenedione, or "andro," amid growing concerns over use of such performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) issued warning letters to 23 companies that distribute supplements containing andro, the Department of Health and Human Services (news - web sites) said in a statement.
"Young people, athletes and other consumers should steer clear of andro because there are serious, substantial concerns about its safety," HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said.
Androstenedione, which increases testosterone levels, is not a steroid but a so-called precursor supplement, one converted into hormones once inside the body.
Steroids represent a wide range of different chemical compounds. Anabolic steroids can stimulate muscle growth but are closely regulated. Other types of steroids can be prescribed for some health conditions such as asthma.
The FDA move comes on the heels of new congressional pressure on professional sports, especially Major League Baseball. On Wednesday, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain threatened the league and its players union with legislative action if they did not step up drug testing efforts.
Congress is also weighing a bill that would consider andro -- along with the so-called designer drug tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) and other compounds -- a controlled steroid.
In his State of the Union speech in January, President Bush (news - web sites) called on professional athletes to abolish steroid use
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ealth_andro_dc
-Sub.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Thursday announced a crackdown on use of the dietary supplement androstenedione, or "andro," amid growing concerns over use of such performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) issued warning letters to 23 companies that distribute supplements containing andro, the Department of Health and Human Services (news - web sites) said in a statement.
"Young people, athletes and other consumers should steer clear of andro because there are serious, substantial concerns about its safety," HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said.
Androstenedione, which increases testosterone levels, is not a steroid but a so-called precursor supplement, one converted into hormones once inside the body.
Steroids represent a wide range of different chemical compounds. Anabolic steroids can stimulate muscle growth but are closely regulated. Other types of steroids can be prescribed for some health conditions such as asthma.
The FDA move comes on the heels of new congressional pressure on professional sports, especially Major League Baseball. On Wednesday, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain threatened the league and its players union with legislative action if they did not step up drug testing efforts.
Congress is also weighing a bill that would consider andro -- along with the so-called designer drug tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) and other compounds -- a controlled steroid.
In his State of the Union speech in January, President Bush (news - web sites) called on professional athletes to abolish steroid use
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ealth_andro_dc