• Abolfazl Mohammadzadeh, Neda Roshanravan, Naimeh Mesri Alamdari, Abdolrasoul Safaiyan, Erfan Mosharkesh, Amir Hadi, Meisam Barati, and Alireza Ostadrahimi.
• Student Research Committee, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
• Int. J. Clin. Pract. 2021 Oct 1; 75 (10): e14591.

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the consequence of Ramadan fasting on gut bacterium (Bacteroides and Firmicutes), serum concentration for butyrate, and lipid profile.MethodsThirty healthy subjects were enlisted and investigated two times (before and at the end of Ramadan). Fasting blood samples were obtained for measuring fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipid profile and serum butyrate concentration. Anthropometrics variables were measured before and after Ramadan for all 30 subjects. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, targeting the genome of Bacteroides and Firmicutes was performed to determine its presence in the stool samples. Food intake was assessed by a 3-day food record before and after Ramadan. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS ver.13 and Minitab ver.17. P < 0.05 considered the level of significance.ResultsThe study results showed that serum levels of butyrate significantly increase during the month from 0.23 ± 0.02 mM to 0.46 ± 0.03 mM (P < 0.05). The gut Bacteroides and Firmicutes increased by 21 and 13 percent after Ramadan compared to before (P < 0.05). The increment in Bacteroides occurred in both sexes, but Firmicutes significantly increased only in women. Food intake was decreased during Ramadan. Ramadan fasting caused significant reduction in BMI from 25.72 ± 0.58 kg/m2to 25.25 ± 0.55 kg/m2 (P < 0.05). Serum levels of LDL, HDL, LDL/HDL ratio, and total cholesterol significantly decreased during Ramadan (P < 0.05). However, the decrease in FBS and TG level were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).ConclusionIt can be stated that the promotion of Bacteroides and Firmicutes in the gut might play a crucial role in health promotion. However, more research is needed to achieve a definite conclusion.© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

12 keywords...

hide…