Can calories from ethanol contribute to body weight preservation by malnourished rats?

RESUMO

Our objective was to compare the use of calories from ethanol by well-nourished and malnourished rats in terms of body weight. Female Wistar rats weighing 170-180 g at the beginning of the study were used. The animals were divided into two groups (N = 12 each): group W received water ad libitum and group E an ethanol solution ad libitum as the only source of liquid throughout the experiment. The concentration of ethanol was increased weekly from 0 to 5, 10, 20 and 40 percent (v/v). In the well-nourished phase (A), all rats received food ad libitum (AW and AE). Ethanol treatment (AE) was then interrupted and water was offered to both groups. After 2 weeks both AW and AE rats were submitted to food restriction (50 percent of group AW food consumption), thus initiating the malnutrition phase (M). Liquid was offered as described before to the same W (MW) and E (ME) groups. The weight gain during the 1-week treatment of AE rats was similar to that of AW animals only when AE rats received the 5 percent (v/v) ethanol solution (9.16 vs 10.47 g). Weight loss was observed after exposure to 10 percent ethanol (P < 0.05) in spite of maintenance of caloric intake. Malnourished rats presented weight loss, which was attenuated by ethanol intake up to the 20 percent (v/v) solution and was related to an increased caloric offer. This effect was not observed with the 40 percent ethanol solution (-9.98 g). These data suggest that calories from ethanol were used to maintain body weight up to the concentration of 10 percent (v/v) (well-nourished) and 20 percent (v/v) (malnourished) and that ethanol has a toxic profile which depends on nutritional status.