Afa. Alhader et al., THE EFFECTS OF RAMADAN FASTING ON CERTAIN BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND IN TYPE-II DIABETIC-PATIENTS, Annals of saudi medicine, 14(2), 1994, pp. 139-141
Fasting levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, fructosamine
and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured in normal and in Type II dia
betic subjects before the beginning and at the end of the Muslim month
of fasting (Ramadan). In normal subjects, there was a significant inc
rease (P<0.01) in triglycerides and uric acid levels as a result of Ra
madan fasting. In diabetic patients, triglyceride levels decreased sig
nificantly (P<0.05), while uric acid levels showed a significant incre
ase (P<0.01) as a result of the same type of fasting. There were no si
gnificant differences in cholesterol, fructosamine and glycosylated he
moglobin levels before and after fasting in either group. These findin
gs suggest that although this type of fasting is effective in causing
considerable changes in certain blood biochemical parameters in normal
and diabetic subjects, it has no effect on the glycemic control of ei
ther normal or Type II diabetic subjects.