Ramadan Fasting Research Articles

Major clinical evidence of calorie restriction and intermittent fasting on skin health: a systematic review

Introduction: Combined skin diseases represent the fourth leading cause of non-fatal disability worldwide. In 2013, it was estimated that skin diseases represented almost 2.0% of the total global burden of disease. Different fasting models have been studied in an attempt to understand the effect of fasting on skin structure and function. Objective: It was to present the main scientific evidence of the effects of calorie restrictions and intermittent fasting on skin health. Methods: The PRISMA Platform systematic review rules were followed. The search was carried out from July to September 2023 in the Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. The quality of the studies was based on the GRADE instrument and the risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane instrument. Results and Conclusion: A total of 119 articles were found, and 26 articles were evaluated in full, and 23 were included and developed in the present systematic review study. Considering the Cochrane tool for risk of bias, the overall assessment resulted in 22 studies with a high risk of bias and 26 studies that did not meet GRADE and AMSTAR-2. Most studies showed homogeneity in their results, with X2=64.7%>50%. It was concluded that although calorie restriction is the most effective intervention to prolong the life of organisms and prevent age-related diseases, its effects on aging and skin diseases can be significant. Dietary lifestyles can affect epithelial lineages such as the skin and intestine. The impact of Ramadan fasting on skin health can be compared with the effect of other types of fasting, including periodic dieting, calorie restriction, dietary restriction, dietary manipulation, and intermittent, short-term, and prolonged fasting. However, despite the scarcity of studies on the topic, no serious health risks have been reported and, therefore, patients who wish to fast should be warned about the importance of continuing their treatment and the administration of transdermal/topical medications.

Alleviating the fears hypoglycaemia and weight loss among young Muslim people during Ramadan Fasting

Alleviating the fears hypoglycaemia and weight loss among young Muslim people during Ramadan Fasting

What’s a Name? Uncovering the Heortonyms in Sundanese Ethnicity in West Java: An Ethnolinguistic Study

This article provides an ethnolinguistic perspective of the names of various types of holidays, celebrations (heortonyms), traditions, and rituals of the Sundanese people. A descriptive qualitative method was employed to collect heortonymic data from written and unwritten sources, observations, electronic sources, in-depth interviews, and literature studies. These data were then analyzed using an ethnolinguistic approach, combining cultural and language aspects through ethnographic methods. In the cultural elements closely related to anthropology, the researchers obtained data on the system and social interaction that prevail in society. Meanwhile, in the language aspects, the data on the form and function of language in society were also gathered. The data were presented by describing the results of the data analysis. The results of this study indicated that Sundanese heortonyms could be divided into religious heortonyms (such as Eid-Al-Adha, Eid-Al-Fitr, and Isra Mi’raj), activities related to Ramadan fasting, activities related to sacred historical events (like Muludan, Rajaban), activities related to work (like the Seren Tahun tradition), activities related to various stages of human life, and practices aimed at avoiding calamities. From the discussion, it was found that these heortonyms, along with the multicultural environment, give rise to loanwords from other languages, especially Arabic. These heortonyms are directly related to history and the construction of worldviews and beliefs and are seen as distinctive language and cultural markers reflecting Sundanese values and identity.

Effects of time-restricted nutrition on urinary density, body composition and athletic performance: model Ramadan fast

Effects of time-restricted nutrition on urinary density, body composition and athletic performance: model Ramadan fast

Ramadan Fasting Did Not Lessen Vegetable and Fruit Consumption, Sleep Duration, and Physical Activity on Adolescents in Al-Azhar Indonesia University

AbstractMuslims do Ramadan fasting for around 12 hours (between dawn and sunset). Apart from changing meal times, Ramadan fasting also has the potential to change sleep duration due to sahoor (before the dawn) activities that must be done. The ideal amount and frequency of vegetables and fruit consumption in the national guideline were illustrated by the three main meals a day. The different conditions occurred when doing Ramadan fasting, which was predicted to have less vegetable and fruit consumption than the normal days, especially Muslim adolescents. This research analyzed the difference between the consumption of vegetables and fruit, sleep duration, and physical activity during and after Ramadan fasting among adolescents in Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia. The research used a quasi-experimental study without a control group, with thirty-five samples. The data collection used a structured 2 x 24-hour recall questionnaire and the Wilcoxon Test to identify the differences. Results showed there were no significant differences between vegetable and fruit consumption, sleep duration, and physical activity during and after Ramadan fasting. Based on the results, the conclusion is that Ramadan fasting had no impact on reducing vegetable and fruit consumption, sleep duration, and physical activity among adolescents in Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia. Keywords: Adolescent, Ramadan fasting, food consumption. AbstrakUmat muslim melaksanakan puasa Ramadan selama kurang lebih 12 jam (dari matahari terbit hingga tenggelam). Aktivitas puasa Ramadan selain mengubah jam makan, juga berpotensi mengubah pola tidur karena aktivitas sahur yang harus dijalani. Dalam pedoman gizi seimbang, frekuensi konsumsi sayur dan buah digambarkan melalui 3 kali waktu makan utama dalam sehari. Kondisi yang berbeda terjadi saat menjalankan ibadah puasa yang berpotensi dapat mengurangi asupan sayur dan buah dibandingkan hari biasa khususnya pada remaja. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menganalisis perbedaan antara konsumsi sayur dan buah, durasi tidur, serta aktivitas fisik, saat dan setelah puasa Ramadan pada remaja di Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu metode eksperimen semu tanpa kelompok kontrol, dengan melibatkan 35 mahasiswa/i di Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan teknik wawancara menggunakan kuesioner recall 2 x 24 jam dan menggunakan uji beda Wilcoxon untuk menganalisis perbedaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan antara konsumsi sayur dan buah, durasi tidur, serta aktivitas fisik, saat dan setelah puasa Ramadan.Puasa Ramadan tidak berdampak terhadap penurunan konsumsi sayur dan buah, durasi tidur, serta aktivitas fisik pada remaja di Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia. Kata Kunci: Remaja, puasa Ramadan, konsumsi makanan

Metode Pengenalan Puasa Ramadhan Untuk Menguatkan Pemahaman Islami Pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar

Fasting Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam, obligatory worship for Muslims who must be commanded by Allah SWT. Fasting not only suppresses thirst and hunger but also takes care of emotions, lust and also behavior from dawn to sun sunset, fasting teaches us tocare socially, get closer to Allah SWT, and have sensitivity to the surroundings. So the children already have to be taught to fast even if you are not a child required for them to implement itHowever, this is done to familiarize children with worship so that children get used to fasting. The formulation of the problem in the research, namely 1) identifying Ramadan fasting as strengthening Islamic understanding, 2) methods that teachers apply to introduce Ramadan fasting, 3) Strategies for controlling children to carry out fasting activities Ramadan. Research methods use qualitative descriptive with interviews, observations and documentation carried out at SDN 71 Bengkulu City with subject teachers and students at school. Data analysis uses triangulation sources. Research result obtained that during the month of Ramadan teachers will fill the school with Islamic activities, such as religious lectures,boarding school express and fill in an activity diary during Ramadan to control children's activities at home, such as prayer,read Al-Qur’an, prayers tarawih, listentalk, and how many fasts have been fulfilled.

Prenatal counseling and maternal health behavior: The case of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy

Abstract Background Ramadan during pregnancy has been found to be associated with various adverse health effects in the offspring, which are largely attributed to maternal intermittent fasting. At the same time, many pregnant Muslims decide to fast during Ramadan. With a growing Muslim population in Europe, Ramadan fasting during pregnancy may become an even more prominent issue in the future. Since pregnant women regularly exchange with healthcare professionals, it is pivotal to evaluate the role of prenatal consultation on Ramadan for the maternal fasting decision. Methods This study uses survey data on pregnant Muslims from Mainz, Germany (N = 326). Data on fasting during pregnancy, consultation with healthcare professionals on fasting during pregnancy, as well as a rich set of socio-economic background characteristics were collected. We estimate the effect of prenatal consultation on the number of days fasted using a log-normal hurdle model. To test whether our controlled estimates might be biased by unobservable confounders, we use the Oster (2019) method. Results The share of women who fasted at least one day was 36.5% (mean: 17 fasted days). Among these women, receiving prenatal consultation on fasting during pregnancy reduced the number of fasted days by 10.8 days (95% CI: -19.03, -2.56). Results from the Oster method show that this result is not biased by unobservable confounders. Conclusions This study shows that prenatal consultation on Ramadan fasting reduces the number of fasted days among pregnant Muslims who intend to fast during pregnancy. These findings imply that prenatal caregivers should be encouraged to discuss Ramadan fasting with their Muslim patients. Further research is needed to develop guidelines for prenatal advice on Ramadan during pregnancy in a framework of shared decision-making. Key messages • Controlled effect estimates show that potentially harmful maternal Ramadan fasting behavior during pregnancy can be mitigated by prenatal caregivers. • This study demonstrates a novel way to exploit real-world data in the absence of randomization by quantitatively assessing the impact of unobservable confounders.

Ramadan during pregnancy and offspring health over the life course: A systematic review

Abstract Background The Muslim population in Europe is increasing, with by now more than 5% of the population being Muslim. During pregnancy, many Muslim women choose to adhere to the Ramadan fast. Research on health effects of Ramadan during pregnancy on the offspring has been conducted through two separate literature strands. One compares offspring of women who chose vs didn't choose to fast and focuses on birth outcomes. The other strand uses an ITT-approach, classifying Muslims as potentially vs certainly not exposed based on their birthdates relative to Ramadan. The ITT-studies’ design allows to also study later-life health. This review combines both strands and evaluates their ability to identify causal effects between Ramadan during pregnancy and offspring health. Methods A systematic literature search using PubMed, EconLit and Web of Science plus a Google Scholar search yielded 35 eligible studies. Data were extracted and quality assessed using a checklist. Results Non-ITT studies often struggle to adequately address bias from self-selection in treatment, with a high risk of confounding and unknown direction of bias. ITT studies, while producing results biased toward zero, are likely to reveal causality and relied on large datasets, leading to high statistical power. Studies meeting the quality threshold find limited evidence of effects on birth outcomes, such as birthweight, but show increased child mortality rates and worse adult health outcomes along several dimensions. These effects tend to increase in magnitude with age, which is congruent with fetal programming theory. Conclusions Medical advisories, guidelines and previous literature reviews mostly focused on non-ITT studies that primarily examined birth outcomes. However, health effects mostly show up at later ages. Consequently, adverse long-run effects are often overlooked, and pregnant Muslims remain not fully informed of potential health impacts on their offspring of their Ramadan fasting decisions. Key messages • Many pregnant Muslims decide to fast during Ramadan. Rigorous quality checking of the research on offspring health effects is needed to provide informative evidence for the growing Muslim population. • Adverse health effects of Ramadan during pregnancy mostly become visible only years after birth. Medical advisories tend to focus on evidence on birth effects, overlooking long-term adverse effects.

Development and Validation of an Educational Booklet for The Healthy Eating Management of Diabetes Mellitus During Ramadan Fasting

Background: iabetics who decide on Ramadan fasting are at risk of complications such as hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, ketosis, or dehydration. The strategy for prevention is to provide education about managing DM with healthy food intake, medication, and exercise during Ramadan fasting. Therefore, it is essential to develop the media to implement education.Research Methods: This research was a research and development method. The model used in developing an educational booklet consists of four stages: define, design, develop, and disseminate. The feasibility of growing media was analyzed by the content validity index (CVI) using I-CV and S-CVI to assess whether the item is relevant or not relevant to the index CVI>0,80. Research Result: Define is the first stage to analyze the need for media development; based on the results of an online survey of nutritionists, as many as 71% mentioned that there were no specific educational media on healthy eating management for DM during Ramadan fasting. Design and development of educational media include literature studies on healthy eating during Ramadan fasting for DM, containing food menus during Ramadan fasting—subsequent dissemination by assessment from experts and target subjects. The assessing subject's content validity index (CVI) was carried out using the I-CV and S-CVI. The average value of I-CV is 0.875, and the average value of S-CVI is 0.875, meaning that all parts of the content are relevant in providing information about healthy eating for DM during Ramadan fasting. The reliability test by the target subject obtained Cronbach's alpha value of 0.850 was reliable. Conclusion: This booklet can be used as an educational medium for pre-Ramadan education. Then, the researchers developed this booklet by considering and improving the booklet design, which was stated to be appropriate.

Bank liquidity creation and religious observance: Evidence from Ramadan fasting

I examine the effect of religious observance, represented by fasting hours during the month of Ramadan, on bank liquidity creation. I exploit exogenous variation of Ramadan fasting hours that depends on: (1) the timing of Ramadan based on the rotating Islamic calendar; and (2) a country’s latitude. My results document that one additional Ramadan fasting hour reduces bank liquidity creation by 1.1% within countries with the share of Muslim population above 50%. No such effect is found in Muslim-minority countries. In terms of transmission channel, I find that intensified Ramadan fasting reduces the productivity of economic agents that use financial services, hence lower the demand for bank liquidity creation. My results are robust for a battery of sensitivity checks and omitted variables concerns. The results offer novel insights into the effect of a specific religious observance on bank liquidity creation in the Islamic world.

Chrononutrition in the context of Ramadan: Potential implications.

Every year, healthy adult Muslims practice dawn to sunset fasting for a whole lunar month. No food or fluid is allowed for the fasting time window. After sunset, eating is allowed. The dramatic change in the timing of meals is accompanied by changes in sleeping hours and thus alterations in circadian rhythms. Hormonal mechanisms mainly determined by the latter also change. These include shifts in cortisol and melatonin. Food-dependent hormones such as Ghrelin and leptin also show changes. A well-established principle of chrononutrition is that the timing of eating may be as or more important than the content of food. Ramadan fasting (RF) is distinct from other forms of intermittent fasting, although there are also some similarities with time restricted eating (TRE). Both have been shown to have health benefits. Here, we examine existing literature to understand and learn from this very commonly practiced form of fasting and its relationships to circadian rhythms and homoeostatic mechanisms.

Ramadan Fasting and Short-Term Maximal Physical Performance: Searching for Optimal Timing of the Last Meal "Suhoor" in Female Pre-University Handball Players.

Aiming to identify the ideal suhoor timing for maintaining optimal physical performance and health indicators during Ramadan intermittent fasting, the present study compares the effects of early vs. late Suhoor on short-term high-intensity physical exercise while controlling the body mass index (BMI) oral temperature (OT), dietary intake, and sleep patterns. In a randomized design, 19 female pre-university handball players (age: 16.8 ± 0.4 y; height: 1.70 ± 0.9 m; and body mass: 61.5 ± 6.9 kg) underwent two test sessions (at 08:00 a.m. and 05:00 p.m.) at four different conditions: ten days prior to Ramadan (R - 10), the final ten days of Ramadan (R) including both Early Suhoor R(ES) and Late Suhoor R(LS) conditions, and the ten days immediately following Ramadan (R + 10). A recovery period of at least 48 h has been set between successive test sessions at each period. Outcome measures included the Countermovement Jumps Test (CMJ), Modified Agility t-Test (MATT), Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA), and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), OT, BMI, and daily diary intake were assessed across the three periods. The total scores of PSQI decreased significantly during R and R + 10 compared to R - 10. When performed in the afternoon, CMJ, MATT, and RSA performance decreased significantly at R(ES) and R(LS) conditions compared to R - 10. However, these performances decreased only after R(ES) when performed in the morning. Furthermore, performances were lower during R(ES) compared to R(LS) in the afternoon for all tests and the morning for MATT and RSA tests. These findings support prior research showing a deterioration of physical performance during Ramadan fasting and indicate a more pronounced impact following early Suhoor condition. Therefore, consuming a late suhoor, closer to pre-dawn time, could be suggested as an effective strategy to minimize physical performance decline during short-term high-intensity exercise.

SAT164 Hypoglycemia Risk And Glucose Parameters In Pregnant Women With Or Without Diabetes During Fasting Ramadan

Abstract Disclosure: R.M. Alamoudi: None. A. Theyab: None. T. Shams: None. H. Alhashemi: None. Background: Pregnancy increases the risk of fasting hypoglycemia and is considered an exemption for fasting during Ramadan. Glucose patterns and hypoglycemia risk in relation to fasting Ramadan in pregnant women are not well studied. Objectives: To compare the risk of hypoglycemia, glucose patterns, and tolerance of fasting in pregnant women with gestational diabetes (GDM) versus women without GDM during fasting Ramadan. Methods: A prospective observational study conducted in the Obstetrics/Endocrine clinics at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Pregnant women without GDM, and with GDM managed by diet or metformin, who were planning on fasting Ramadan and were dedicated to applying a flash glucose monitoring (CGM) device for two weeks were recruited. Women with GDM received standard-of-care diabetes education regarding fasting during Ramadan. Participation was entirely voluntary. Results: 30 women with gestational age ≥ 24 weeks completed the study; 8 without GDM (Gp. 1), 16 with GDM on diet (Gp. 2), and 6 with GDM on metformin (Gp. 3). Mean demographics respectively: Age 30.13 ±4.9 vs. 33.56 ±6.4 vs. 34.50 ±5.8 (p=0.2), BMI 34.36 ±5.88 vs. 30.74 ±3.75 vs. 36.75 ±8.01 (p=0.4), Gravida 3 ±2.2 vs. 3.38 ± 2.48 vs. 4.33 ±2.88 (p=0.6). Breaking Ramadan fasting was reported in 13 (43%) of all participants; 3 (37.5%) vs. 6 (37.5%) vs. 4 (66.7%), respectively. The median (IQR) days fast broken were 2 vs 2 (4) vs 1 (11) days, p=0.2, with the reason being hypoglycemia in 1 vs 4 vs 2, and hyperglycemia in 0 vs 1 vs 2, the other reasons included fatigue and acute illness, p=0.3. The average hypoglycemia glucose reading in mg/dl (M± S.D) associated with breaking the fast was 56 ±4.8, p=0.54. The usual timing of hypoglycemia was late evening, while for hyperglycemia it was post-midnight meal followed by post-Suhoor (predawn meal). Ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) parameters per 450 patient days for the three groups respectively: Average glucose (mg/dl) (median - IQR) 89 (13) vs. 95 (24) vs. 103 (34), p=0.3, Time spent within range (BG 63-140 mg/dl) 87 (6)% vs. 81 (16)% vs. 80 (44) %, p=0.1, Glucose management indicator (M ±S.D) 5.4 ±0.2%, 5.6 ±0.4%, 5.5 ±0.3%, p=0.5, and Glucose variability 17.6 ±1.9%, 20.8 ±2.9%, 24.7 ±11.5%, p=0.07. Time spent above range (BG >140 mg/dl) 7 ±6% vs. 18 ±19% vs. 25 ±26%, p=0.2, Time spent below range (BG <63 mg/dl) 8 ±8% vs. 7 ±8% vs. 10 ±21%, p=0.8, and Duration spent in hypoglycemia (minutes) 90 ±117.4, 65.8 ±61.1, 70 ±108.03, p=0.8. CGM-detected hypoglycemic events (BG <63 mg/dl) were found in 20 (66.7%) of all participants, the average number of events (median-IQR) per group was: 4 (5) vs. 6 (8) vs. 1 (15), p=0.8. Conclusion: Pregnant women with non-insulin-treated GDM compared to those without GDM experienced similar difficulties in tolerating fasting during Ramadan and increased risk of hypoglycemia. The potential perinatal harm needs more research. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04862390 Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023

FRI527 Timing Of Thyroxine Dose During Ramadan: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Disclosure: R.M. Alamoudi: None. S.M. Nawar: None. H.S. Alharbi: None. A.A. Al Qarni: None. A. Alzahrani: None. A.K. Almulla: None. W.T. Busaad: None. N.F. Alahmari: None. N.D. Alshamrani: None. L. Alkhalifa: None. Y.M. Saleh: None. M. Ramadan: None. A. Borai: None. Background: The effect of Ramadan fasting on the thyroid profile, and the best time for L-thyroxine (LT4) intake in relation to fasting during Ramadan remains undetermined. Objectives: To compare two different time points of taking LT4 therapy during fasting the month of Ramadan in regards to thyroid profile and patient satisfaction. Methods: A multicenter open-label randomized controlled trial. Patients with primary hypothyroidism were recruited from three centers in three cities in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Riyadh, and Alhasa). Patients with thyroid cancer were excluded. TSH and FreeT4 (FT4) were measured two weeks before Ramadan, and four to six weeks after Ramadan. Results: 303 patients with primary hypothyroidism were randomized; 156 to take the LT4 dose at sunset with sips of water at the time of breaking fast and wait 30-60 minutes to eat the main Iftar meal (pre-Iftar), and 147 to take the LT4 dose just before the start of fasting (pre-dawn) regardless of their last meal intake. There were no significant differences between the two groups in demographics or comorbidities. The mean age was 49 ±12 years, 87% were female, and the average duration of hypothyroidism was 9.7 ±8.25 years. The mean weekly LT4 dose in the pre-Iftar vs. pre-dawn group was 753.3 ±349.4 vs. 733.2 ±265.6 mcg, p=0.001, and the Pre-Ramadan thyroid profile was: TSH 2.56 ±2.16 vs. 2.46 ±1.72 mIU/L, p=0.3, FT4 13.45 ±2.1 vs 13.08 ±2.4 pmol/L, p=0.16. Post-Ramadan thyroid profile values were: TSH 3.64 ± 4.1 vs. 4.07 ±4.17 mIU/L, p=0.78, FT4 12.96 ±0.1 vs. 12.64 ±0.22 pmol/L, p=0.003. The estimated difference within the group means post-Ramadan was - 0.41 ±0.51 mIU/L, p=0.43 for TSH, and 0.32 ±0.28 pmol/L, p=0.24 for FT4. Generalized linear model repeated measures analysis of variance showed no significant difference over time in TSH or FT4 within or between groups (p = 0.47 vs. 0.81). Patient compliance and satisfaction with the regimens were similar between groups. Conclusion: There is no significant change nor difference in thyroid profile between the two regimens related to the change in LT4 intake during the fasting months of Ramadan. Both regimens can be utilized depending on patient preferences. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05421468. Saudi FDA: SCTR # 22041002 Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Blood Glucose Level in Pregnant Women with Gestational and Type 2 Diabetes.

Pregnant women with diabetes are strongly advised against Ramadan fasting and have religious exemption, but a large proportion still choose to fast. Unfortunately, there is little information about glycemic control in these patients. This study aims to determine the fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels and to predict the risk factors for hypoglycemia in pregnant women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and gestational DM (GDM) who fast during Ramadan. A prospective cohort research was conducted at a single tertiary hospital between 2021 and 2023 on 70 pregnant women with GDM (n = 53) and type 2 DM (n = 17) in their second and third trimester. Their fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels during Ramadan were compared to those of the previous month, and hypoglycemia was defined as blood glucose levels less than 60 mg/dl. Binary regression was used to predict the risk variables for hypoglycemia. The GDM and type 2 DM groups were similar in terms of age, parity, number of fasting days, and number of daily fasting hours. Only 26.9% of the women who were permitted to fast were given special instructions for Ramadan fasting. Dietary intervention was more common in the GDM group, whereas insulin and metformin treatment were more common in the type 2 DM group. The fasting glucose level decreased significantly after Ramadan fasting in both groups, from 92.5 (17.4) mg/dl to 90 (17.13) mg/dl (p = 0.033). However, there were a significantly higher number of hypoglycemia events in the type 2 DM group. Further, type 2 DM was identified as a risk factor for hypoglycemia (OR = 6.23; 95% CI = 1.04-37.54; P = 0.046. The present findings indicate that Ramadan fasting may improve fasting glucose control. In addition, type 2 DM was identified as a risk factor for hypoglycemia.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus and Ramadan fasting: A case of adolescents and adults from Algeria

ObjectivesExperts suggest that people with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) should be discouraged from fasting during Ramadan, even though both adolescents and adults insist on performing their fast despite the jurisprudential excuse. The objective was to evaluate the behavior and attitudes of a population with T1DM during Ramadan and outside. Materials and methodsA descriptive study was carried out on 63 T1DM subjects at the level of two health establishments located in the city of Constantine (eastern Algeria). The interviews took place between April 13th and May 12th, 2021 during Ramadan. The R.3.2.4 software was used for the comparison tests. The significance level retained was 0.05. ResultsThe study involved 63 subjects with T1DM (30 females and 33 males) of whom 26 subjects aged<18 years and 37 subjects aged≥18 years (P=0.001). The mean age was 21.2±5.7 years (12–42 years). The average duration of pathology since diagnosis was 6.6±4.5 years. Glycated hemoglobin (Hb1Ac) was between 5.60% and 16.10% with an average of 8.1±0.2%. The results revealed that 28.6% of the patients practiced Ramadan fasting with an average of 13.8±10.4 days. Only 31.7% consulted their doctors before observing Ramadan, 77.8% controlled their blood sugar mainly before breaking the fast. COVID-19 affected 15.9% of subjects and hyperglycemia was the most recorded diabetes-related complication. ConclusionDespite the health risks, subjects with T1DM insisted on fasting during the month of Ramadan. Thence it is vital to adhere to a healthy lifestyle with early clinical monitoring.

Dinamika Tradisi Marpangir di Kabupaten Padang Lawas Utara, 1990-2000

This research examines the "Dynamics of the Marpangir Tradition within the North Padang Lawas Regency Community" with a primary focus on its historical emergence and evolving dynamics during the period from 1990 to 2000. Employing qualitative methods, including an anthropological approach and ethnographic data collection through observation, interviews, and documentation, this study draws from seven informants representing diverse backgrounds, such as community leaders, tradition practitioners, and local authorities. The findings highlight the Marpangir Tradition as a customary practice in North Padang Lawas Regency, serving as a purification ritual preceding Ramadan fasting. Despite its long-standing presence in local culture, significant transformations have occurred between 1990 and 2000, including the adoption of practical alternatives like shampoo and soap due to challenges in sourcing traditional ingredients. Furthermore, a shift in community engagement is observed, with more young individuals utilizing the tradition for social interactions and even dating, offering valuable insights into the adaptability of cultural traditions in response to changing societal values.

Impact of Ramadan fasting on eGFR in patients with late stage chronic kidney disease

Aims: Ramadan fasting is a significant religious practice observed annually by approximately 1.9 billion adult Muslims worldwide. However, its potential impact on kidney health in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a subject of concern. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Ramadan fasting on renal function in patients with stage 3-5 CKD and to identify any associated risk factors.&#x0D; Methods: A single-center, self-controlled longitudinal observational study was conducted on 192 stable patients with stage 3-5 CKD who observed Ramadan fasting. The fasting period was about 14-15 hours per day for one month Various clinical parameters, including eGFR, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca++), phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), albumin, uric acid, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and hemoglobin (Hgb), were measured before and after Ramadan fasting. P0.05). Furthermore, the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEi/ARB) did not impact eGFR (0.084). Notably, Ramadan fasting led to improvements in metabolic parameters, such as fasting glucose and lipid profile, except for triglyceride levels (p

Investigation of the effect of Ramadan fasting on serum levels of melatonin, cortisol, and serotonin: the case of Turkey.

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of Ramadan fasting on melatonin, cortisol, and serotonin levels. In this study, the blood of 19 healthy male individuals between the ages of 26 and 51, registered in Agri (Turkey) Family Health Center and fasting during Ramadan, was studied. The study was carried out in 2021-2022. The SPSS-22 package program was used in the analysis of the data. Wilcoxon analysis was used in the study. It was determined that the pre-test-post-test melatonin and cortisol levels of the individuals were not statistically significant (p>0.05). It was determined that the pre-test-post-test serotonin difference of the individuals was statistically significant (p<0.05). It has been determined that Ramadan fasting increases the serotonin level of individuals but does not change the levels of melatonin and cortisol. It was determined that the level of happiness of individuals increased after Ramadan fasting. Longitudinal studies on the effects of Ramadan fasting are recommended.

Effects of Ramadan intermittent fasting on gut microbiome: is the diet key?

Much research has been conducted regarding the impact of diet on the gut microbiota. However, the effects of dietary habits such as intermittent fasting are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of intermittent fasting during Ramadan on the gut microbiota. The study was conducted on 12 healthy adult individuals who practiced fasting 17 h per day for 29 consecutive days during the month of Ramadan. To determine the dietary intake of individuals, a 3-day dietary record was kept at the beginning and end of the study. Reads that passed quality filtering were clustered, and custom-prepared 16S rRNA gene regions of bacteria associated with the human microbiome were used as a reference. Consensus sequences were created, and genus-level taxonomic annotations were determined using a sequence identity threshold of 95%. The correlations between the dietary intake measurements of the participants and the respective relative abundance of bacterial genera were investigated. The results showed that Firmicutes were higher in abundance in the gut microbiota before fasting among participants, while they were significantly lower in abundance at the end of Ramadan fasting (p < 0.05). Proteobacteria were significantly higher in abundance at the end of the month of Ramadan (p < 0.05). Fasting was associated with a significant decrease in levels of seven genera: Blautia, Coprococcus, Dorea, Faecalicatena, Fusicatenibacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Mediterraneibacter. Conversely, the abundances of two bacterial genera were enhanced at the end of the fasting month: Escherichia and Shigella. The results of the dietary intake analysis showed that a negative correlation was detected for three comparisons: Ihubacter and protein (rho = -0.54, p = 0.0068), Fusicatenibacter and vegetables (rho = -0.54, p = 0.0042), and Intestinibacter and nuts (rho = -0.54, p-value = 0.0065). The results suggest that even when the fasting period during Ramadan is consistent, the types of food consumed by individuals can affect the gut microbiota.