Influence of high-intensity exercise training and anabolic androgenic steroid treatment on rat tissue glycogen content

To increase tissue glycogen content many athletes use anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS). However, the literature concerning the effects of androgens on glycogen metabolism is conflicting. This study aimed to determine the influence of training and AAS on body weight (bw), triglycerides, glucose, tissue glycogen and transaminases, levels. Male Wistar rats, randomized into four groups (sedentary vehicle (SV), sedentary AAS (SA), trained vehicle (TV) and trained AAS (TA)), were treated with nadrolone (5 mg/Kg, 2 x /week, i.m.) or vehicle. Trained rats performed jumps into water (4 sets, 10 repetitions, 30 sec rest) carrying a 50-70% body wt-load strapped to the chest (5 days/week,6 weeks). Two days after the last session, the animals were killed (bifatorial ANOVA + Tukey test; P SV:0.13 +/- 0.01 = TV:0.13 +/- 0.01 = SA:0.14 +/- 0.01 mg/100 mg). In the soleus, AAS increased glycogen (SA:0.53 +/- 0.03 vs. SV:0.43 +/- 0.01 and TA:0.58 +/- 0.02 vs. TV:0.48 +/- 0.01 mg/100 mg). Exercise training and AAS had no effect on blood glucose and transaminases levels. Training and AAS effects on glycogen supercompensation are tissue-dependent and the effects of association between them were only observed in the cardiac muscle. These data emphasize the necessity of more studies to confirm greater effects of AAS than those promoted by physical exercise. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.7791030104