"These people do not know what can happen," wrote Gould, in an e-mail message to ESPN.com. "Do these people know how it has affected some people like myself?"

An Andro-based product that he took in late September put Gould, 19, a former college football player, in the hospital. His experience, which you can read about in full on ESPN.com, has led him to believe that the federal government should look more closely at products that include Androstenedione, to make sure they are safe for the public to take.

His passion runs deep on the topic, since he believes he could have lost his life by taking the pills. But his opinion is by no means unanimous, as an Outside the Lines television show on Andro, and a companion five-part series on ESPN.com, revealed a huge philosophical divide on how governments, leagues and athletes should approach the controversial substance.

Below are selected comments from viewers and readers, who watched the Nov. 10 show and followed the online saga of how one Alabama high school dealt with the dilemmas presented by the pills that Mark McGwire popularized last season while setting baseball's single-season home run record.

	Mark McGwire sparked the Andro debate.

Andro should be left alone unless harmful side effects are found or if there is an illegal substance in the product. As a college football player, I believe that unless something will eventually hurt a person or has an illegal substance in it, it should be OK to use. I guarantee you that McGwire would not be using something he knows would harm him or help him achieve his goals the easy way.

Mike Behrens
Storm Lake, Iowa

High school kids are not mature enough to make a decision like this. All they see is the dream of a higher level of play. Ban Andro now.

Bill Martin
Riverside, Ala.

Andro is not a supplement that has been considered effective by many people. There is no convincing science to show it works or doesn't work. It could be very effective. I think that these high school players are simply getting the psychological effect of taking Andro. They are simply believing they can rage. The amount of testosterone you get from Andro can hardly make a person rage. The way to get an advantage on the field is hard work, discipline and motivation. Some people were not meant to be great athletes but through Andro they try to be superstars. No high schoolers should be taking this supplement!

Ryan Laird
Norman, Okla.

OUTSIDE THE LINES SERIES

As an online companion to the "Outside the Lines" television show that aired on Nov. 10, ESPN.com explored the controversy over Androstenedione, the muscle-building pills Mark McGwire popularized while setting the home run record. To find out about the use of the substance by ordinary athletes, ESPN.com Senior Writer Tom Farrey went to Alabaster, Ala., where Andro has replaced creatine as the favored supplement and a high school grapples with how to deal with the dilemmas these pills present. His online report ran Nov. 9-13.

As a shot putter, I have been on muscle enhancers since last spring's high school track season. They work really well. This past August I started college and in preparing for track started on Andro. I had a great relationship with my girlfriend but while on it I became very violent with her and was very rude and we were always fighting. We broke up a month ago mainly because of my attitude while on this drug.

I am now off this drug. I now consider myself clean of all the Andro but I feel if I am not competitive in track this year I might go back on it in the off season. I finished seventh in the nation in the Junior Olympics this past summer.

Henry Benedict
Wilmington, Ohio

Until there is proven documentation of the side effects, I will continue to use Andro and promote its use. The results are there; everything gets better. It is seemingly just another attempt by people who are obsessed with regulations and red tape to stop athletes from reaching their full potential.

Seth Wagoner
Topeka, Kan.

I think this (story of Andro in an Alabama high school) should end with Mark McGwire telling all of the young athletes to not take Andro because of its unknown long-term effects. And he should make clear to all youngsters that there is no magic pill out there that will replace the hard work and dedication you have to put into athletics to achieve success.

Eric Knorr
Clarion, Pa.

ESPN.COM POLL

What concerns me is that now that there is a controversy with Andro, the Food and Drug Administration will step in and decide that not only should Andro be pulled from the shelves, but that it needs to regulate the supplement industry. This would do nothing but double or triple the prices of already too expensive supplements. The FDA began as a good idea that, like everything that the government touches, turned in to an expensive mess that accomplishes little more than lining the pockets of the "scientists" that work for it; many of these scientists still don't believe that creatine monohydrate is effective.

I wish McGwire had never taken Andro only because that as a result, I may not be able to in the future.

Patrick Brazil
Tacoma, Wash.

I congratulate you for facing this tough subject head-on. As unpopular as it seems, I believe that you should call for Mark McGwire's record to be disallowed. If 70 home runs is allowed to stand, then the fastest human is Ben Johnson, who ran a steroids-assisted 100 meters. I have a 15-year-old son who is a promising baseball player and I certainly do not want him to feel that he needs steroids or Andro to compete. I don't want to bury him; I want him to live a long and healthy life.

Walter L. Godek
Long Valley, N.J.

Until there have been sufficient tests proving its safety, Andro should be banned in high schools -- just as it is in the NCAA, NFL, and other countries. Our youth are too valuable to be used as guinea pigs or as money bags. We cannot afford to let our children be damaged because some company decided to market a substance that is a cousin to an illegal substance.

I really hate to advocate government intervention in anything, but I really do think that the FDA should be allowed to take another good look at this so-called dietary supplement industry before these kids end up with ruined bodies and health. Why wait for this to happen?

Robyn Mitchell
Copperas Cove, Texas

ESPN.COM POLL

I think high school kids should be educated on the pros and cons of supplements. The old line, "You are just going to have expensive piss," isn't going to cut it any more. What's really going on? Young athletes can't go to their local doctor and get knowledgeable answers. They would be lucky if they had even heard about such a supplement as Androstenedione.

Mark McGwire should have no responsibility whatsoever (for Andro's popularity). Good for him for finding something legal that works for him. Many athletes are still going the illegal route of steroids.

Kelly Olauson
Long Beach, Calif.

I was wondering if someone could e-mail me and let me know the exact brand of Andro that was being used by McGwire and how I could obtain this supplement. I have been shopping around at local health food shops and none of them know.

Jason McNeil
jmcnei1@tiger.lsu.edu
Baton Rouge, La.

I am a high school athlete and me and three other of my teammates are on Andro. I have been on Andro for about three weeks and I can tell a difference in my strength. It has helped me a lot and don't think it should be banned from high school athletes.

Jason Willhite
West Monroe, La.

I feel the laws need to be changed to have (products classified as dietary) supplements back under the guidance and testing of the FDA. We need a central place where tests are performed on both old supplements and the inevitable new ones around the corner. Unbiased scientific facts are going to be our best ally when trying to determine the safety of these supplements.

Barry Boccasi
Belmont, Calif.