WASHINGTON — The Air Force reminded airmen in an on-line news report that as of Jan. 20, the prohormone androstenedione (nicknamed Andro) will be removed from store shelves and will be illegal to use.
After that day, Andro, along with anesthetic ketamine (nicknamed Special K), testosterone, and forms of codeine and morphine, will be classified as a Schedule III controlled substance — a definition the government gives to drugs that have the potential for abuse.
“One of the biggest problems that gets users into trouble is that aggressive behavior manifests itself,” Dr. Vincent Carr, the Air Force's chief consultant for internal medicine services, said in the report. “They get into fights, and that could have a major effect on the work environment.”
Andro is found in many bodybuilding supplements that are available in nutrition and fitness stores. However, Lt. Col. Ronald Blakely, the staff food and drug safety officer for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), said the products were phased out of AAFES stores in 2002 due to health concerns.
The report also reminded soldiers that the possession or distribution of Andro after Jan. 20 would be a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.