The Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian (HPO) Axis in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Ramadan fasting is a religious practice and an exceptional ritual compared to all other religious conventions. The aim of fasting in Ramadan is to establish a proper religious model of self-control and healthy lifestyle.. The purpose of this study was to compare the biochemical neurohormones between women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with and without fasting.. This study was conducted during July 2011 at the Infertility Center of Royan Institute, and comprised 40 patients diagnosed with PCOS, aged from 20-40 years without any special disease. The study group included 20 women with PCOS and fasting during Ramadan. The control group consisted of 20 non-fasting women with PCOS. The study on the effects of fasting on patients with polycystic ovary syndrome involved demographic data and biochemical stress hormones including cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, beta-endorphin and insulin.. In patients with PCOS, mean of cortisol in subjects with and without fasting were 8.2 ± 4.4 and 11.2 ± 4.7, respectively (P = 0.049). Also the respective median of nor-adrenaline in fasting and non-fasting patients were 1273.5 and 1503.5 (P = 0.047). However, no significant differences were found in adrenalin (P = 0.151), beta-endorphin (P = 0.543) and insulin (P = 0.818) between PCOS two groups.. This study showed that Ramadan fasting is a well known practice to reduce stress hormones in women with PCOS. So, Ramadan, beside its spiritual benefit is a blessing from God for improving human lifestyle..