Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Lipid Peroxidation, Serum Lipoproteins and Fasting Blood Sugar

Fasting (abstaining from all food and drink between sunrise and sunset) in the holy month of Ramadan is one of the religious duties in Islam and most people fulfill this religious duty in our country, Iran. Fasting is a custom in some other religions also, but its length and conditions are different. It seems that the level of some blood components change during this month.
In this study lipid peroxidation was compared before and after one month of fasting by determining malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes (CDs), both of which are products of LDL-oxidation. The relationship between fasting and change in serum lipoproteins and fasting blood sugar (FBS) was investigated.
Fifty healthy 30-60 year-old men intending to fast during the holy month of Ramadan were included in the present study. The plasma levels of MDA, CDs; serum levels of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (Chol), FBS were determined one day before, and final day of the fasting month. MDA and CDs were measured by spectrophotometer, and TG, Chol and FBS enzymatically with ELAN autoanalyzer. The Student's t-test was used to compare pre- and post-Ramadan values.
Results showed that the MDA, TG and Chol levels decreased significantly during Ramadan (p<0.05). The levels of FBS decreased too, but this reduction was not significant (p>0.05). The level of CDs was increased significantly (p<0.05).
Since MDA is significantly decreased during Ramadan, it seems that fasting for a month may have preventive effects on atherosclerosis, considering that LDL-oxidation plays an important role in the production of atherosclerotic plaques.