ArticleEuropean journal of clinical nutrition2022
Impact of religious fasting on metabolic and hematological profile in both dyslipidemic and non-dyslipidemic fasters.
Article in European journal of clinical nutrition, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Religious fasting and its impacts on individual, public, and planetary health: Fasting as a "religious health asset" for a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable society.Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Pooled it
- Combination of prolonged water fasting and GLP-1 for refractory morbid obesity: Case report.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2026Article
- Gut Microbiome Care as a Gateway to Mental Well-being and Theological Restoration.Journal of religion and health · 2026Article
- Wrist-based wearable oscillometric blood pressure monitoring during Ramadan: a comparative study with standard devices.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Ramadan intermittent fasting is associated with ameliorated inflammatory markers and improved plasma sphingolipids/ceramides in subjects with obesity: lipidomics analysis.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Association between Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of Christian Orthodox Church Fasters and Non-Fasters in Greece.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Does Religious Fasting Have a Protective Role against Metabolic Syndrome in Individuals Aged >50 Years?Nutrients · 2023Article
- Review
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Authors and funding
17 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesReligious fasting (RF) is practiced annually by millions of Christian and Muslim followers worldwide. Scarce data exist on the impact of RF on the metabolic and hematological profile of individuals with or without dyslipidemia. SUBJECTS/
methodsThe present study included: (i) 60 Greek Orthodox participants, 30 with dyslipidemia and 30 without dyslipidemia, who abstained from meat, fish and dairy products for seven consecutive weeks, and (ii) 15 young, non-dyslipidemic Muslim participants abstaining totally from food and liquid from dawn till sunset during 30 days. Biochemical (iron, ferritin, vitamin B12, calcium, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride and fasting glucose) and hematological (hemoglobin, hematocrit) serum blood test results of study participants were measured pre- and post- RF (at weeks 0 and 7 for Orthodox participants and at weeks 0 and 4 for Muslim participants).
resultsIn dyslipidemic and non-dyslipidemic Orthodox participants, a significant reduction of fasting glucose, HDL, LDL and TC levels was found post-RF. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, iron and ferritin levels were significantly increased, while post-RF vitamin B12 and calcium levels were substantially decreased. Subanalysis between dyslipidemic and non-dyslipidemic Orthodox participants revealed a greater decrease of cholesterol levels in the former. In Muslim participants, triglyceride, LDL and total cholesterol levels were increased post-RF (all p values < 0.05).
conclusionsOur study adds to the existing literature evidence about the significant impact of RF on metabolic and hematological profiles of Orthodox and Muslim followers. The prevention of calcium and B12 deficiency during Orthodox RF by supplement consumption as well as the protection from dehydration and dysregulation of lipid metabolism during Ramadan RF should concern both clinicians and dietician nutritionists. Nevertheless, studies with larger sample size and/or long-term follow-up are warranted before reaching definite conclusions about the effects of RF on human health.
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