Observational studyPloS one2020
Effect of diurnal intermittent fasting during Ramadan on ghrelin, leptin, melatonin, and cortisol levels among overweight and obese subjects: A prospective observational study.
Observational study in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
62 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 107 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effectiveness of fasting regimens on serum levels of some major weight regulating hormones: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis in randomized controlled trial.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2025Pooled it
- Effect of Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Regimens on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels and Cognitive Function in Humans: A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Pooled it
- Intermittent Fasting as a Potential Therapeutic Instrument for Major Depression Disorder: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Preclinical Studies.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Pooled it
- The Impacts of Ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Saliva Flow-Rate and Metabolic Data: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Pooled it
- The Window Matters: A Systematic Review of Time Restricted Eating Strategies in Relation to Cortisol and Melatonin Secretion.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Intermittent Fasting May Enhance Resistance Training Effects on the Body Composition of Obese Males, Without Affecting Muscular Strength and Anabolic Index.Journal of obesity · 2026Trial
- Evaluating appetite/satiety hormones and eating behaviours as predictors of weight loss maintenance with GLP-1RA therapy in adolescents with severe obesity.Pediatric obesity · 2024Trial
- Ramadan Fasting in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Linking the Gut-Mitophagy-Circadian Axis to Endothelial Dysfunction and Hepatic Outcomes.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
- Chrononutrition variables and thyroid function: evidence for a specific role of the time of the first meal.European journal of nutrition · 2026Article
- Intermittent fasting and liver disease: Insights from the Ramadan model.Saudi journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Saudi Gastroenterology Association · 2026Article
- Intermittent fasting enhances cancer therapyWorld journal of clinical oncology · 2026Review
- When hunger and thirst part ways: a longitudinal comparison of men and women across the Ramadan fasting-recovery cycle, with non-fasting controls.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Conceptualizing a Personalized Care Pathway for Parkinson's Disease Using Wearable Sensors in Muslim Patients: The Ramadan Regime.Journal of movement disorders · 2026Article
- Intermittent Fasting and Hormonal Regulation: Pathways to Improved Metabolic Health.Food science & nutrition · 2025Review
- Trajectories of night light exposure and risk of overweight and obesity: a 15-year longitudinal cohort study of 218,239 Chinese children.BMC medicine · 2025Article
- Beyond traditional diagnosis: aptamer-based microRNA detection for the early diagnosis of periodontitis.Molecular biology reports · 2025Review
- Self-control moderates the impacts of physical activity on the sleep quality of university students.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Time Restricted Eating: A Valuable Alternative to Calorie Restriction for Addressing Obesity?Current obesity reports · 2025Review
- Exploring mood and anxiety disturbances across Ramadan: a comparative study of Saudi medical students before, during, and after fasting.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Impact of Fasting on Physical Activity Motivation and Weight Reduction in Patients Administered Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists: A Qualitative Study.Patient preference and adherence · 2025Article
2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLevels of cortisol, melatonin, ghrelin, and leptin are highly correlated with circadian rhythmicity. The levels of these hormones are affected by sleep, feeding, and general behaviors, and fluctuate with light and dark cycles. During the fasting month of Ramadan, a shift to nighttime eating is expected to affect circadian rhythm hormones and, subsequently, the levels of melatonin, cortisol, ghrelin, and leptin. The present study aimed to examine the effect of diurnal intermittent fasting (DIF) during Ramadan on daytime levels of ghrelin, leptin, melatonin, and cortisol hormones in a group of overweight and obese subjects, and to determine how anthropometric, dietary, and lifestyle changes during the month of Ramadan correlate with these hormonal changes.
methodsFifty-seven overweight and obese male (40) and female (17) subjects were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, sleep duration, and hormonal levels of serum ghrelin, leptin, melatonin, and salivary cortisol were assessed one week before the start of Ramadan fasting and after 28 days of fasting at fixed times of the day (11:00 am-1:00 pm).
resultsAt the end of Ramadan, serum levels of ghrelin, melatonin, and leptin significantly (P<0.001) decreased, while salivary cortisol did not change compared to the levels assessed in the pre-fasting state.
conclusionsDIF during Ramadan significantly altered serum levels of ghrelin, melatonin, and serum leptin. Further, male sex and anthropometric variables were the most impacting factors on the tested four hormones. Further studies are needed to assess DIF's impact on the circadian rhythmicity of overweight and obese fasting people.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.