Effect of Ramadan fasting on the values of haematological and biochemical parameters

ABSTRACT

Ramadan is the ninth lunar month of the Muslim year during which it is obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims to fast from dawn to sunset. This study was conducted during Ramadan on a group of 36 male volunteers of middle socioeconomic status, to determine the effect of fasting on the haematological and biochemical parameters. The haemtological parameters showed only slight variations, particularly in the haemoglobin level and red blood cell count which showed a decrease, but reverted back to normal as soon as the fasting period was completed. This almost paralleled a decrease in plasma iron level during the 4 weeks of the fasting. In the biochemical parameters, cholesterol, triglyceride total protein albumin, alkaline phosphatase, chloride phosphorus, glucose, creatinine, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase showed an increase during the fasting period which in some cases was statistically significant while serum iron showed a decrease. For most of the parameters the values reverted back to the baseline value as soon as the fasting period was over. The effect of fasting on healthy adults is discussed