DIETARY ENERGY-SHORTAGE AND ETHANOL INTAKE IN GOLDEN-HAMSTERS

Adult male golden hamsters, which are avid consumers of ethanol soluti ons, were maintained on powdered Purina chow and tap water, and they w ere permitted continuous access to either a 15% or a 30% ethanol solut ion (v/v). In two experiments, the effect of chronic dietary energy sh ortage on ethanol consumption was examined. Energy shortage was produc ed either by food restriction (Experiment 1) or by dilution of the die t with nonnutritive cellulose (Experiment 2). Dietary energy shortage caused increases of up to 50% in ethanol consumption, and the energy d erived from ethanol offset the shortfall in food-derived energy by up to 50%. When normal feeding conditions were reinstated, hamsters maint ained their enhanced intake of ethanol solutions, consuming up to 15.4 g/kg/day of ethanol. Possible factors underlying the enhanced intake of ethanol solution both during and after dietary energy shortage are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.