Journal of Nutrition, Fasting and Health
Volume:2 Issue: 2, Spring 2014

World Health Organization (WHO) introduced hypertension as an epidemic in developing countries. However, hypertension is adequately controlled in only 12.5% of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between Ramadan fasting and mean arterial pressure (MAP). This clinical, observational study was carried out at Medical O.P.D of Jinnah Medical College Hospital (JMCH), Korangi, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 150 hypertensive patients (120 males and 30 females) and 150 healthy adults (75 males and 75 females) were evaluated during the month of Ramadan (from August to September 2010). Blood pressure was measured in patients’ right arm in the sitting position. The measurements were taken a week before Ramadan and during each week of this month. The average of measurements was calculated, and the results were analyzed by SPSS version 17. A reduction was observed in the MAP of hypertensive patients (from 117.3±4.2 in the first week to 108.3±4.2 in the fourth week). In the control group, the MAP was 93.1±0.6 in the first week and 92.4±0.6 in the fourth week. This study showed that MAP reduces during Ramadan fasting. This effect of fasting may help control blood pressure in hypertensive patients.

Ramadan Fasting during the month of Ramadan is a religious obligation, practiced by millions of people around the world. Ramadan fasting is essentially a fundamental change in lifestyle for one lunar month. This type of fasting may have significant effects on lipid profile. Although there is no scientific consensus about the effects of fasting on cardiovascular risks such as changes in lipid profile, some studies have revealed the positive effects of Ramadan fasting (and similar religious fasting) on lipid profile and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. These effects may be related to factors such as different fasting durations (season-dependent), diets, and physical activities during Ramadan. An overall improvement in cardiovascular risk profile is noted during Ramadan fasting. Majority of studies have reported an increment in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level, decreased triglyceride level, and no change or decline in total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Therefore, given the lack of comprehensive literature in this field, we reviewed some related studies in order to describe the impact of Ramadan fasting on lipid profile. It can be inferred that Ramadan fasting alters lipid profile by improving HDL-cholesterol and reducing LDL-cholesterol in some cases. However, changes in triglyceride and total cholesterol during Ramadan are not uniform or similar. Moreover, Ramadan fasting is not associated with any changes in the prevalence of CVD or frequency of hospitalization.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) has proven valuable in the diagnosis, staging and restaging for many cancers. However, its application for liver cancer has remained limited owing in part to the relatively high background uptake of the tracer in the liver plus the significant variability of the tumor specific uptake in liver cancer among patients. Thus, for primarily liver cancer, in particular, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), radio-tracers with better tumor-enhancing uptake/retention are still sought in order to harness the great power of PET imaging. Here, we reviewed some recent investigations with lipid-based small molecule PET radio-tracers with relevance to fasting, and discuss their potential in the diagnosis and staging of HCCs.

Multiple studies have noted the positive effect of fasting on mental health improvement. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of fasting on mental health in the general population of Kermanshah, Iran. In this analytical research, one-group pretest-posttest design was used for the evaluation of 110 residents of Kermanshah city. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) with four subscales was utilized in order to assess the subjects’ mental health. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and paired t-test. There was a significant difference between pre- and post-test results in terms of general health score (t= 3.138, P= 0.002), i.e., fasting could increase the population’s general health. There was a significant positive relationship between fasting and four subscales of general health including somatic symptoms (t=2.138, P=0.035), insomnia/anxiety (t=2.587, P=0.011), and social dysfunction (t=2.627, P=0.010). However, fasting had no significant effect on severe depression and suicidal tendencies (t=1.700, P=0.092). The obtained results showed that fasting has a positive effect on mental health in the general population of Kermanshah. Thus, more attention should be paid to fasting and its impact on people’s mental health.

Abstinence from eating and drinking on long hot summer days is no easy task. In fact, it is considered the greatest “Jihad” in Islamic tradition. Here, the main question is concerned with the importance of fasting, its purposes, and advantages for individuals. We need to determine if fasting plays a role in overcoming human problems. This article, by using an analytical approach, states Quranic verses and Hadiths and reviews the philosophy of fasting in response to two questions: 1) What is the philosophy of fasting in Quran and Hadiths?, and 2) What role does it play in maintaining human health? Therefore, Islamic verses and narratives, concerning the importance of fasting in maintaining health, are reviewed, using the opinions of some scientists.

Caloric restriction is a strategy applied for weight loss. Water fasting is a popular way for obesity treatment. However, little is known about the impact of water fasting on weight. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of short-term, repeated water fasting on the weight of mice. In this study, the physiological effect of short-term, repeated water fasting on the weight of female mice was evaluated. At 6 weeks of age, mice were randomly assigned to either repeated-fasting or control group (fed ad libitum). Each group consisted of twenty mice. As the fasting period started, the repeated-fasting group had access to only water; animals had free access to food and water on non-fasting days. Body weight of each group before, during, and after the fasting period was recorded. Body weight of the fasting group significantly decreased, unlike the control group. However, the fasting group gained weight rapidly after being re-fed and became significantly heavier than mice in the control group (P<0.01). Interestingly, the average body weight of the fasting group increased, compared to that of the control group; in fact, the fasting mice weighed approximately 10% heavier than the control ones. Repeated water fasting was not only ineffective for weight loss but also increased the body weight of fasting mice.

Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is an obligation for all adult, healthy Muslims. As several studies have indicated, both fasting and energy restriction can alter thyroid hormone metabolism and affect the clinical features and well-being of hypothyroid patients. Hypothyroidism is more prevalent among women and the elderly. Its prevalence has been reported to be 4-8% of the general population. Despite the large body of animal research on fasting, few human studies have focused on Ramadan fasting and its impacts on hypothyroid patients. PubMed and Google scholar databases were searched using keywords such as Ramadan, fasting, hypothyroidism, and food restriction. Animal and human studies, which were highly relevant to the topic, were selected. Four animal and 7 human studies were included in this article. We found that levothyroxine dosage should be increased for hypothyroid patients from the beginning of the month until 15-20 days after the end of Ramadan. Fasting can change the concentration of thyroid hormones, thyroid-stimulating hormone level, and the associated metabolisms both in animals and humans. As the results indicated, hypothyroid individuals, who fast during the month of Ramadan, particularly women and the elderly, may suffer from thyroid hormone changes. For these patients, levothyroxine dosage should be increased to 25-50 µg/per day from the beginning of Ramadan until 15-20 days after the end of this month. An increased dose of levothyroxine during Ramadan is recommended for hypothyroid patients, particularly women and the elderly.

Gynecologists and perinatologists are left with many unanswered questions and concerns regarding fasting during pregnancy and its effects on maternal and neonatal health. The current study was conducted to investigate the correlation between the number of Ramadan fasting days and pregnancy outcomes. In this descriptive, analytical study, 641 newborns, whose mothers had fasting experience during pregnancy, were enrolled and allocated to three groups, based on the number of maternal fasting days during pregnancy (group A: ≤10 days, group B: 11-20 days, and group C: 21-30 days). Demographic and anthropometric data of neonates and mothers were recorded. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and non-parametric tests were performed for data analysis. No statistically significant difference was found in maternal weight (during the last month of pregnancy), neonatal height, incidence of pre-term labor, or neonatal congenital abnormality in the three groups. Increased number of fasting days was not correlated with decreased neonatal head circumference or weight, while 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores significantly improved (P<0.05). As the current findings indicated, with increasing number of fasting days, neonatal birth weight or maternal weight did not decrease. In addition, incidence of pre-term labor and low birth weight did not increase, while significant improvements were detected in 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores. Since pregnancy is a delicate state for women, further research on larger populations is recommended to evaluate other parameters and obtain more convincing results about the effects of Ramadan fasting on pregnant women.