Implications of Ramadan Fasting in the Setting of Gastrointestinal Disorders
- PMID: 37139278
- PMCID: PMC10151003
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.36972
Implications of Ramadan Fasting in the Setting of Gastrointestinal Disorders
Abstract
Intermittent fasting is an increasingly popular dieting technique with many well-studied benefits, such as permitting weight loss in obese patients, lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and triglyceride levels, and optimizing circadian rhythms. A special type of intermittent fasting occurs during Ramadan, when Muslims worldwide fast daily from dawn to sunset for a month. Ramadan fasting has demonstrated several health benefits, including improving the gut microbiome, modifying gut hormone levels, and lowering proinflammatory markers such as cytokines and blood lipids. Although fasting has many health benefits, fasting during Ramadan may aggravate chronic medical conditions. We aim to review the literature devoted to Ramadan fasting and its effects on Muslim patients with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, such as Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), peptic ulcer disease (PUD), upper GI bleeding (UGIB), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and liver conditions. We will discuss recommendations for diet and medication compliance during Ramadan in the recommended pre-Ramadan counseling sessions. In this study, we used PubMed to research journals using the key terms "Ramadan," "intermittent fasting," and "gastrointestinal diseases." The current literature studying the impact of Ramadan on gastrointestinal disorders shows that patients with IBD have a minimal risk of disease exacerbation, although older men with ulcerative colitis (UC) were more prone to exacerbation during fasting. Patients with duodenal ulcers were at a higher risk of hemorrhage after Ramadan fasting. Although with mixed results, studies show patients with liver disease demonstrated improvements in liver enzymes, cholesterol, and bilirubin after Ramadan. Physicians should offer pre-Ramadan counseling to educate patients on the risks of fasting and encourage shared decision-making. To facilitate more definitive discussions between the physician and a Muslim patient, clinicians should seek a deeper understanding of how Ramadan fasting affects certain health conditions and offer accommodations, such as diet and medication adjustments.
Keywords: diet education; gastrointestinal disorder; gerd; ibd; intermittent fasting; liver disease; modifiable lifestyle behaviors; peptic ulcer disease; ramadan fasting.
Copyright © 2023, Tibi et al.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Patient Care During Ramadan: A Narrative Review.Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2024 Jul 21;11:23333928241266041. doi: 10.1177/23333928241266041. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec. Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2024. PMID: 39050928 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting on inflammatory markers, disease severity, depression, and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: A prospective cohort study.BMC Gastroenterol. 2022 Apr 24;22(1):203. doi: 10.1186/s12876-022-02272-3. BMC Gastroenterol. 2022. PMID: 35462542 Free PMC article.
-
Gastrointestinal health in Ramadan with special reference to diabetes.J Pak Med Assoc. 2015 May;65(5 Suppl 1):S68-71. J Pak Med Assoc. 2015. PMID: 26013794
-
Impact of Ramadan Fasting on the Severity of Symptoms Among a Cohort of Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).Cureus. 2023 Mar 28;15(3):e36831. doi: 10.7759/cureus.36831. eCollection 2023 Mar. Cureus. 2023. PMID: 37123744 Free PMC article.
-
Recent Evidence on the Impact of Ramadan Diurnal Intermittent Fasting, Mealtime, and Circadian Rhythm on Cardiometabolic Risk: A Review.Front Nutr. 2020 Mar 11;7:28. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00028. eCollection 2020. Front Nutr. 2020. PMID: 32219098 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Patient Care During Ramadan: A Narrative Review.Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2024 Jul 21;11:23333928241266041. doi: 10.1177/23333928241266041. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec. Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2024. PMID: 39050928 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Gut aging: A wane from the normal to repercussion and gerotherapeutic strategies.Heliyon. 2024 Sep 12;10(19):e37883. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37883. eCollection 2024 Oct 15. Heliyon. 2024. PMID: 39381110 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- Intermittent fasting. Li Z, Heber D. JAMA. 2021;326:1338. - PubMed
-
- Mawdudi SA. Towards Understanding the Quran. Vol. 1. Leicestershire, UK: Islamic Foundation; 1988. Surah 2: Surah Al-Baqarah; pp. 142–146.
-
- Physiological changes during fasting in Ramadan. Meo SA, Hassan A. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Meo-Sa/publication/277412926_Physio... J Pak Med Assoc. 2015;65:0–14. - PubMed
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources