The Effect of Ramadan Fasting Combined With Regular Aerobic Exercise on Cortisol Level and Trait-State Anxiety in Female Professional Athletes

Abstract

Background and Aims Fasting during Ramadan causes changes in the body’s metabolism, but there are contradictory results regarding the effect of fasting on the psychological and physiological status of professional athletes. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Ramadan fasting combined with regular aerobic exercise on cortisol levels and anxiety in female professional athletes. Methods This applied study was performed with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group. The statistical population included all female professional athletes in Qom in 2019. By available sampling method, 50 people were selected and divided into experimental (n=25) and control (n=25) groups. The experimental group performed aerobic exercises according to the defined intensities and three sessions per week. The control group did not intervene. Data were collected using the State-Trait Anxiety Scale and cortisol was measured by blood sampling using a Tosoh 360-AIA device. Data were analyzed by independent and paired t-test and multivariate analysis of covariance. The significance level was considered 0.05. Ethical considerations were observed in this study. Results The findings showed that Ramadan fasting program combined with regular aerobic exercise had a positive and significant effect on reducing total anxiety and its components, including trait anxiety and state anxiety in the experimental group. There was a significant difference between the mean scores of cortisol levels in the two groups in the post-test. Conclusion The research findings showed that fasting during Ramadan combined with regular aerobic exercise is effective in reducing anxiety and cortisol in athletes. The researcher suggests that in order to achieve more reliable results, the study should be performed on larger populations.