EFFECT OF RAMADAN FASTING ON BLOOD GLUCOSE IN HEALTHY ADULTS.

Abstract

Introduction: There is as yet no consensus as to the effect of Ramadan fasting on fasting blood glucose. We carried out a study to help clarify the situation.

Methods: This was a semi-experimental (pre- and post-) study of 115 healthy volunteers (67 men and 48 women), who fasted for at least 25 days during Ramadan. Blood samples were taken 7 days before Ramadan (at 7am after a 8-hour overnight fast), and on the 14^th and 28^th days of Ramadan (1 hour before sundown). The mean duration of daily fasting was 11.5±0.5 hours. Plasma glucose was measured by an enzymatic assay. Statistical analysis was by the paired-t and ANOVA functions on SPSS10.0 software.

Results: Fasting plasma glucose in the group as a whole decreased from 88.4±9.0mg/dl pre-Ramadan to 75.4±15.3mg/dl on day 14 and 62.9±7.7mg/dl on day 28 (p<0.001). Both men [87.5±8.8mgdl (pre-Ramadan) à 60.8±6.4mg/dl (day 28)] and women [89.7±9.3mgdl (pre-Ramadan) à 65.7±8.4mg/dl (day 28)] experienced a significant decrease in fasting plasma glucose levels (p<0.001 in both). There was a reduction in calorie intake during Ramadan in every volunteer (p<0.001), and there was a direct correlation between reduction in calorie intake and fasting plasma glucose (p<0.01).

Conclusion: Fasting plasma glucose decreases with Ramadan fasting and is associated with a reduction in calorie intake. The decrease in plasma glucose does not seem to be accompanied by any serious adverse effects in healthy volunteers, however.