Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42023379›Full record

ReviewJournal of family medicine and primary care2026

The effect of fasting Ramadan on type 2 diabetes: A narrative review and practice update.

Khalid A Bin Abdulrahman, Basil F Alodami, Albaraa M Almuteb, Alwaleed A Alqahtani, Muhannad S Alhusayni, Yezeid F Almohsen

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of family medicine and primary care, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Khalid A Bin AbdulrahmanDepartment of Medical Education, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Basil F AlodamiDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Albaraa M AlmutebDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Alwaleed A AlqahtaniDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Muhannad S AlhusayniDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Yezeid F AlmohsenDepartment of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ramadan fasting, observed by Muslims worldwide for over 1,400 years, involves abstaining from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn to sunset. Despite exemptions for individuals with chronic conditions, many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) choose to fast, raising concerns regarding safety and metabolic control. To synthesize recent literature (2021-2024) on the physiological impact of Ramadan fasting on individuals with T2DM and offer evidence-based recommendations for safe fasting practices. This narrative review evaluates recent clinical studies on the effects of Ramadan fasting in T2DM patients. Key areas include metabolic outcomes, potential risks, and strategies for pre-Ramadan assessment and individualized care. Emerging evidence suggests that Ramadan fasting may offer metabolic benefits to T2DM patients, including improved insulin sensitivity, reductions in body weight, fat mass, blood pressure, and proinflammatory cytokines. Positive changes in gut microbiota and hormonal regulation have also been reported. However, without proper medical oversight, fasting may increase the risk of hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, dehydration, and diabetic ketoacidosis. The physiological mechanisms of Ramadan fasting align with those of nonreligious intermittent fasting, which also show favorable outcomes in glucose and lipid regulation. Ramadan fasting can be safe and beneficial for many with T2DM when properly managed. Pre-Ramadan planning-including risk assessment, medication adjustments, and education-should begin 6-8 weeks in advance to reduce risks and guide informed decisions.

Indexed as

Hypoglycemia riskintermittent fastingmetabolic outcomespre-Ramadan assessmentRamadan fastingtype 2 diabetes mellitus

Identifiers

PMID42023379
PMCPMC13098913

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Registered trials

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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.