Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders
Background: Ramadan fasting (RF) is a form of intermittent fasting that generally improves body composition and related metabolic profiles. Whether RF exacerbates depressive symptomatology in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) is undetermined. Methods: 100 men, who lived in B...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-08-01
|
| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2718 |
| _version_ | 1797522581908094976 |
|---|---|
| author | Haitham Jahrami Ahmed S. BaHammam Eman Ahmed Haji Nicola L. Bragazzi Ihab Rakha Amani Alsabbagh Boya Nugraha Stefan M. Pasiakos |
| author_facet | Haitham Jahrami Ahmed S. BaHammam Eman Ahmed Haji Nicola L. Bragazzi Ihab Rakha Amani Alsabbagh Boya Nugraha Stefan M. Pasiakos |
| author_sort | Haitham Jahrami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Ramadan fasting (RF) is a form of intermittent fasting that generally improves body composition and related metabolic profiles. Whether RF exacerbates depressive symptomatology in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) is undetermined. Methods: 100 men, who lived in Bahrain and were between the ages of 18 and 64 years with an established diagnosis of MDD, participated in this 4-week study. Based on preference, participants were assigned to a fasting group (FG, <i>n</i> = 50) and a non-fasting group (NFG, <i>n</i> = 50). The FG engaged in fasting from 03:40 to 18:10 (dawn and dusk timings). Changes in depressive symptoms, body mass, body composition, and components of metabolic syndrome were measured. Results: There were no significant changes in depressive symptoms within the FG vs. NFG after controlling for baseline covariates: mean difference 0.49 (SE = 0.63), <i>p</i> = 0.43. No adverse effects were reported in either group. The FG experienced significant reductions in body mass, 1.87 kg, <i>p</i> = 0.001; body mass index, 0.69 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.001; body fat, 0.87%, <i>p</i> = 0.001; body surface area, 0.03 m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.001; and lean mass, 0.77 kg, <i>p</i> = 0.001. Conclusions: RF did not negatively affect depressive symptoms and improved body composition, suggesting short-term intermittent fasting may be a safe dietary practice for adult males with MDD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:30:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-adf7777281904135b32ecb8d2598c3e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:30:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-adf7777281904135b32ecb8d2598c3e22023-11-22T09:05:03ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-08-01138271810.3390/nu13082718Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive DisordersHaitham Jahrami0Ahmed S. BaHammam1Eman Ahmed Haji2Nicola L. Bragazzi3Ihab Rakha4Amani Alsabbagh5Boya Nugraha6Stefan M. Pasiakos7Ministry of Health, Manama 410, BahrainUniversity Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 225503, Riyadh 11324, Saudi ArabiaMinistry of Health, Manama 410, BahrainLaboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Departments and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, CanadaMinistry of Health, Manama 410, BahrainMinistry of Health, Manama 410, BahrainDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, GermanyMilitary Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USABackground: Ramadan fasting (RF) is a form of intermittent fasting that generally improves body composition and related metabolic profiles. Whether RF exacerbates depressive symptomatology in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) is undetermined. Methods: 100 men, who lived in Bahrain and were between the ages of 18 and 64 years with an established diagnosis of MDD, participated in this 4-week study. Based on preference, participants were assigned to a fasting group (FG, <i>n</i> = 50) and a non-fasting group (NFG, <i>n</i> = 50). The FG engaged in fasting from 03:40 to 18:10 (dawn and dusk timings). Changes in depressive symptoms, body mass, body composition, and components of metabolic syndrome were measured. Results: There were no significant changes in depressive symptoms within the FG vs. NFG after controlling for baseline covariates: mean difference 0.49 (SE = 0.63), <i>p</i> = 0.43. No adverse effects were reported in either group. The FG experienced significant reductions in body mass, 1.87 kg, <i>p</i> = 0.001; body mass index, 0.69 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.001; body fat, 0.87%, <i>p</i> = 0.001; body surface area, 0.03 m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.001; and lean mass, 0.77 kg, <i>p</i> = 0.001. Conclusions: RF did not negatively affect depressive symptoms and improved body composition, suggesting short-term intermittent fasting may be a safe dietary practice for adult males with MDD.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2718depressionintermittent fastingmood disordersmetabolic syndrome |
| spellingShingle | Haitham Jahrami Ahmed S. BaHammam Eman Ahmed Haji Nicola L. Bragazzi Ihab Rakha Amani Alsabbagh Boya Nugraha Stefan M. Pasiakos Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders Nutrients depression intermittent fasting mood disorders metabolic syndrome |
| title | Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders |
| title_full | Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders |
| title_fullStr | Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders |
| title_short | Ramadan Fasting Improves Body Composition without Exacerbating Depression in Males with Diagnosed Major Depressive Disorders |
| title_sort | ramadan fasting improves body composition without exacerbating depression in males with diagnosed major depressive disorders |
| topic | depression intermittent fasting mood disorders metabolic syndrome |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2718 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT haithamjahrami ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT ahmedsbahammam ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT emanahmedhaji ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT nicolalbragazzi ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT ihabrakha ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT amanialsabbagh ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT boyanugraha ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders AT stefanmpasiakos ramadanfastingimprovesbodycompositionwithoutexacerbatingdepressioninmaleswithdiagnosedmajordepressivedisorders |