The government ordered an end to sales of the steroid-like supplement andro, made famous by baseball's Mark McGwire, in the latest crackdown on over-the-counter pills that claim to help people get in better shape. Thursday's move against andro came even as the government faced a legal challenge to its pending ban on sales of another supplement, ephedra. Andro, short for androstenedione, is a steroid precursor — the body converts it into testosterone, and, to some extent, estrogen. Thus it poses the same health risks as directly using an anabolic steroid, the Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) said Thursday in warning 23 manufacturers to cease sales or face federal seizure of their products and other penalties. Mike in BrazilAmong the risks FDA cited are heart and liver damage, and some gender-specific problems: testicular atrophy, impotence and breast enlargement for males, and facial hair, menstrual problems and increased risk of breast and uterine cancer for females. Children can undergo early puberty and stunting of bone growth. "These are irreversible, irreversible health consequences," FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan said. Athletic use of performance-enhancing drugs is drawing harsh political scrutiny, even from President Bush (news - web sites), and legislation pending in Congress would ban over-the-counter sales of andro, athletes' trendy new steroid THG, and more than two dozen other steroid-like substances. The Bush administration endorsed that legislation Thursday, and already had put sellers on notice that THG was an illegal steroid. 8th street latinas In singling out andro Thursday, health officials and lawmakers said the concern was less for professional athletes than for children who have flocked to the same supplements their sports heroes use. "Today, we have hit a home run: our top health authorities are making clear that andro should not be on the market," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said. "Kids shouldn't be able to buy it. ... Now they won't be able to." One supplement giant, TwinLab Corp., didn't return a call seeking comment. But some smaller distributors said Thursday they'll comply, reluctantly.