The effects of alcohol intake for 5 months on insulin stimulated glucose uptake,expression levels and tyrosine phosphorylations of insulin receptor (IR), IR substrate (IRS) 1 and IRS 2 in rat skeletal muscle were observed. Results showed that alcohol consumption could impair insulin stimulated glucose uptake in rat skeletal muscle, accompanied by the up regulated expression and tyrosine phosphorylations of IR, IRS 1 and IRS 2.