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Dr. F. Azizi and his associates (ref.9) from the University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran has reported the following. Serum levels of glucose, bilirubin, calcium, phosphorous, protein, albumin, FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin, TSH, TI, and T uptake, as well as prolactin and TSH responses to TRH were evaluated in a group of nine healthy men before and on the 10th, 20th and 29th days of Ramadan. Mean body weight decreased from 65.4 + - 9.1 to 61.6 + - 9.0 kg at 29th day. Serum glucose decreased from 82 + - 4 mg/dl on the 10th day, and increased thereafter (76 + - 3 and 84 + - 5 on the 20th and 29th days of fasting respectively.) Serum bilirubin increased from 0.56 + - 0.17 to 1.43 + - 52 mg/dl on the 10th day, and decreased thereafter (1.1 + - 0.4 on the 20th and 29th days). All changes returned to basal values four weeks after fasting. There were no significant changes in serum levels of Ca, P, protein, albumin, and any of measured hormones. Prolactin and TSH responses to TRH were also unaltered. He concluded than termittent abstinence from food and drink for 17 hours a day for 29 days does not alter male reproductive hormones, hypothalainic-pituitary-thyroid axis or peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones and physicians caring for Muslims should be aware of changes of glucose and bilirubin during Ramadan.

Therefore it is concluded from the above two studies that Islamic fasting does not cause any adverse medical affect and may have some beneficial effect on weight and lipid metabolism.

Why Islamic Fasting Is Different Than Other Types of Fasting (7)

As compared to other diet plans, in fasting during Ramadan, there is no manlutrition or inadequate calorie intake since there is no restriction on the type or amount of food intake during Iftaar or Suhur. This was confirmed by MM Hussaini (6) during Ramadan 1974 when he conducted dietary analysis of Muslim students at the University of North Dakota State University at Fargo. He concluded that calorie intake of Muslim students during fasting was at two thirds of NCR - RDA.

Fasting, in Ramadan is voluntarily undertaken {i.e. although it is obligatory in Islam, it is not forced upon anyone by another person or group of people}. It is not a prescribed imposition from a physician. In the hypothalamus part of the brain, there is a center called "lipostat" which controls the body mass. When severe and rapid weight loss is achieved by starvation diet, the center does not recognise this as normal and therefore re-programs itself to cause weight gain rapidly once the person goes off the starvation diet. So the only effective way of losing weight is slow, self-controlled, and gradual weight loss by modifying our behavior, and the attitude about eating while eliminating excess food. Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and self-training in terms of food intake thereby hopefully, a permanent change in lipostat reading.

In Islamic fasting, we are not subjected to a diet of selective food only (i.e. protein only, fruits only etc.) and carry breakfast, before dawn is taken and then at sunset, fast is broken with something sweet (i.e. dates, fruits, juices) to warrant any hypoglycemia followed by a regular dinner later on.

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