Metabolic and clinical effects of Ramadan fasting in patients with type II diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the effects of fasting on anthropometric indices and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in patients with type II diabetes. Results: Daily cholesterol intake increased in all subjects (p < 0.03). Body mass index increased in women (p < 0.03), but BMI and waist-hip ratio both decreased in men (p > 0.01). Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and serum fructosamine did not change during the study. Plasma insulin (p < 0.05), C-peptide (p < 0.01) and insulin resistance (p < 0.01) decreased only in men. Total and LDL cholesterol increased significantly in all subjects during the study. Conclusion: Ramadan fasting does not alter carbohydrate metabolism or tissue insulin sensitivity in patients with type II diabetes given appropriate dietary education and rescheduling of oral hypoglycaemic medication. Lipid profile is unfavorably altered due to changes in both diet and biochemical response to starvation. (author)