A doctor measures a man's abdominal circumference

Study on the effect of intermittent fasting on men with obesity

Hassane Zouhal et al.

August 2020

Intermittent fasting

Overweight / obesity

In this study led by Hassane Zouhal, the influence of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on various hormones in the digestive tract (leptin, GLP-1, PYY, CCK and ghrelin) was investigated in overweight men.

Thirty inactive men were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG) and a control group (KG). The EG participated in Ramadan fasting rituals (30 days), while the KG maintained their normal daily habits.

Blood samples were taken at four time points: 24 hours before the start of Ramadan (T0), on the 15th day of Ramadan (T1), the day after the end of Ramadan (T2) and 21 days after Ramadan (T3).

There were significant improvements from before to after Ramadan for leptin, GLP-1, PYY and CCK in the EC. No significant result was found for ghrelin. There were no significant changes in plasma volume after RIF in either group.

Ramadan intermittent fasting is an effective strategy for modifying appetite-regulating hormones, resulting in improved body composition scores and a reduction in obesity.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Obesity
Institution: Laboratoire Mouvement, Sport, Santé (M2S)-EA 1274, Université Rennes, F-35000 Rennes, France
Title: Study on the effect of intermittent fasting on men with obesity
Brief description: This study shows that intermittent fasting has a positive effect on appetite-regulating hormones in overweight men.
Original title: Effects of Ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Gut Hormones and Body Composition in Males with Obesity
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32756479/