Effect of nandrolone and/or whey protein on the soleus muscle and testis of adult male albino rats

Nandrolone is one of the most anabolic androgenic steroids which are largely used by amateur and professional athletes to improve the athletic performance. The misuse of that anabolic drug by athletes is a very common problem. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the possible harmful effect of nandrolone on the soleus muscle and testis of male albino rats, in comparison with whey protein as a natural anabolic product, also to investigate whether whey protein can ameliorate the deleterious responses induced by nandrolone. The experimental rats were sacrificed at days 1 and 30 post –treatment. Blood samples were obtained for biochemical and immunological investigations. Soleus muscles and testes were removed for light and electron microscopic studies. In the present results, serum total protein level was significantly decreased after one day of nandrolone treatment (10 mg/kg B.wt/week for 3 months), while elevation of this level was observed after whey protein treatment (5 g/kg B.wt/day for three months). The ameliorative effect was observed post-treatment with both whey protein and nandrolne as manifested by the non significant change of total protein level as compared to the control group. A decrease in collagen ?I in nandrolone group was recorded, while whey protein group showed a significant increase of this level. LDH was increased after nandrolone and /or whey protein treatment. Testosterone level in groups treated with nandrolone or with whey protein + nandrolone was significantly decreased all over the experimental periods conversely, a significant increase was observed after whey protein supplementation. Lowered levels of TNF-? and IL-1? were recorded after nandrolone treatment, while a significant increase was recognized as a result of whey protein administration. A significant decrease of growth hormone and transforming growth factor-? was noticed under the effect of nandrolone while, whey protein administration was associated with a significant increase of both hormones. Microscopically, in soleus muscle, nandrolone treatment showed hypertrophied muscle fibers with a significant increase in the cross sectional area as compared to the control value. Some muscle fibers were distorted and atrophied with increased cellular infiltration in between and others were totally replaced by dense collagen fibers. On the other hand, whey protein showed increased muscle size accompanied with normal collagen distribution. The double treatment revealed remarkable protection of myofibers against the harmful effects of nandrolone. In testis, nandrolone treatment showed many disorganized seminiferous tubules with loss of sperms and spermatids. Others showed malformed sperms, hyaline material and distorted Sertoli cells with numerous vacuoles, lipid droplets and ruptured mitochondria. Widened interstitial spaces with degenerated Leydig cells were also observed. Whey protein did not cause any adverse effect on testis tissue during the whole experiment periods. Administration of whey protein before nandrolone treatment induced an obvious recovery from the testicular damage, some tubules still exhibited hypocellularity and germ cell separation. Conclusion: Whey protein supplementation elicited better maintenance of muscle strength. Since the amino acid composition of whey protein is very similar to that of the skeletal muscle it may provide amino acids essential for muscle remodeling after injury. Thus whey protein could be used as a safe muscle building; even it could counteract some of the adverse effects of nandrolone.