College of Health

INTRODUCTION: Chronic alcohol intake and resistance training (RT) have opposite effects on muscle physiology.

PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of chronic alcohol intake on androgen receptor (AR) content in skeletal muscle to determine whether this effect was influenced by RT.

METHODS: A total of 48 male Sprague Dawley(R) rats (mass = 456 +/- 1 g; mean +/- SE) were divided into five groups: baseline (N = 8), sedentary + alcohol (Sed-Al) (N = 8), sedentary + normal diet (Sed-Nml) (N = 8), exercise + alcohol (Ex-Al) (N = 12), and exercise + normal diet (Ex-Nml) (N = 12). Exercise groups completed a 6 1/3-wk "squat" RT protocol; alcohol groups received an ethanol-rich (35% caloric content of alcohol) diet throughout the 6 1/3-wk period. Baseline animals were killed at the onset of the 6 1/3-wk training period.

RESULTS: Western blot analysis showed no effect of alcohol or RT on the AR of the extensor digitorum longus. Alcohol significantly reduced AR content of the rectus femoris (P < 0.05) and prevented RT-induced increases in AR content of the soleus.

CONCLUSION: Chronic alcohol intake appeared to reduce the AR content of the type IIB fiber-predominant rectus femoris, and this reduction was not affected by RT. In the type I-predominant soleus, chronic alcohol intake alone had no effect but seemed to prevent RT-induced increases in AR content.