Nutrition, energy intake- output, exercise, and fluid homeostasis during fasting in Ramadan

Abstract

The month long ritual fasting undertaken by Muslims in Ramadan though intermittent in that they abstain from eating and drinking from dawn till dusk only, it is absolute during the span of fasting as they are forbidden from taking anything by mouth be it water, fruits or even oral medications. There are bound to be changes in their life style, sleep hours, physical activities, food consumption, meals frequencies, and dietary habits for different reasons. Proper management of food and fluid intake and exercise activity regulation is essential so that the spiritual fasting of Ramadan becomes an enjoyable experience free from avoidable hardships for all those who are found fit to undertake Ramadan fasting. Controlled studies are required to unravel the mysteries surrounding the complete understanding of the physiological states of satiety, hunger and fasting, and the role of both internal and external factors of orexigenic and anorexogenic nature and the scientific basis of the relative ease with which millions of Muslims the world over are able to observe the month-long Ramadan fast.