Effects of Ramadan Fasting and Regular Exercise Training on Fat and CHO Metabolism

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the combined effects of endurance training and fasting during Ramadan on fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Twenty four healthy men (age، 25. 4±2. 3 years) were randomly allocated to two groups of fasting (F، n=12) and fasting + endurance training (F+ET، n=12). The study protocol for the F group included 10 and the F+ET group had 12 subjects. The fasting group only fasted during Ramadan، whereas the F+ET group، in addition to fasting، performed three sessions of endurance training on the treadmill after Iftar. Antropometric indices، blood samples and dietary intakes were documented the beginning of Ramadan and after the first week and at the end of Ramadan. Weight and body mass index did not change significantly during Ramadan in either group (P>0. 05)، but the body fat percentage reduced significantly (P<0. 05) during Ramadan in both groups. Fat oxidation، carbohydrate oxidation، insulin، glucose، glycerol، and non-esterified free fatty acid changed in the first week of Ramadan، more pronouncedly in F+ET group، whereas in the F group these changes occurred more during the second half of the Ramadan، though the changes did not differ significantly between the two groups. Combining Ramadan fasting and exercise training affects the trend of changes in fat and carbohydrate oxidation during Ramadan. Generally however the effects of two protocols were similar and adding the endurance training to fasting did not induce more changes than fasting perse.