Dietary energy shortage and ethanol intake in golden hamsters

Adult male golden hamsters, which are avid consumers of ethanol solutions, were maintained on powdered Purina chow and tap water, and they were permitted continuous access to either a 15% or a 30% ethanol solution (v/v). In two experiments, the effect of chronic dietary energy shortage on ethanol consumption was examined. Energy shortage was produced either by food restriction (Experiment 1) or by dilution of the diet with nonnutritive cellulose (Experiment 2). Dietary energy shortage caused increases of up to 50% in ethanol consumption, and the energy derived from ethanol offset the short-fall in food-derived energy by up to 50%. When normal feeding conditions were reinstated, hamsters maintained 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.