men take note - "andro" supplements - Brief Article

You may be getting more than you bargained for if you take "dietary" supplements that claim to build muscle mass. The Archives of Internal Medicine recently reported on "The Andro Project," a study that investigated the hormonal effects on men taking "andro" supplements containing androstenediol and androstenedione, which are building blocks for the male hormone testosterone.

Fifty men between the ages of 35 and 65 years were studied over a 12-week resistance training period. The subjects were randomly assigned androstenediol, androstenedione or a placebo. What the researchers found was that, not only did the supplements not increase blood testosterone levels, but that they significantly increased the blood levels of female hormones. The "andros" also adversely affected cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease risk. The authors of the study, Dr. Craig Broeder and associates from East Tennessee State University, concluded that, until further research is done, unmonitored use of "andro" supplements is not recommended.