EFFECTS OF RAMADAN FASTING ON BODY-WEIGHT AND THE BIOCHEMICAL AND HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF THE BLOOD

The Effects of Ramadan fasting on body weight as well as on the differ ent biochemical and haematological parameters of the blood were studie d on 74 healthy male and female Jordanian adults ranging in age from 2 0 to 48 years. Venous blood samples were tested which were taken durin g the pre-Ramadan week, Ist, 2nd and 4th weeks of Ramadan, as well as during the post-Ramadan week. Of the studied parameters, body weight, glucose, uric acid, total cholesterol, HDL - cholesterol, LDL - choles terol, total protein, albumin, iron, calcium, total bilirubin, free bi lirubin, alkaline phosphatase and its intestinal isoenzyme, RBC count and PCV were found to decrease significantly (p < 0.05) during the fas ting weeks of Ramadan. Whereas the MCH and MCHC of the haematological parameters were found to increase significantly (p < 0.05) due to the decreased RBC count and PCV. However, the following parameters; trigly cerides, phosphate, urea, creatinine, conjugated bilirubin, alanine tr ansaminase, aspartate transaminase, bone and liver isoenzymes of alkal ine phosphatase, Hb, MCV, WBC count and ESR did not change significant ly, it was concluded that Ramadan fasting could induce weight loss thr ough restriction of energy intake with consequent relative hydration o f the blood causing changes in biochemical and haematological paramete rs of the blood. Although these changes were within normal reference r anges and within the 95% confidence limits of pre-Ramadan values and a ppear to be reversible but they require attention by physicians practi sing in Muslim communities and countries, as they could be misleading in diagnosis and monitoring of the disease.