In a study carried by Qi D et al (2004), Adult male Wistar rats (270–290 g) were obtained from the University of British Columbia Animal Care Unit and fed a standard laboratory diet (PMI Feeds, Richmond, VA) and water ad libitum. The synthetic glucocorticoid hormone DEX (1 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume of ethanol was administered by intraperitoneal injection and the animals killed 1–4 h later (plasma half-life of DEX is ∼279 min). Previous studies have determined that this dose of DEX inhibits insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle glucose transport