● A reduction in apolipoproteins A and B can be optimally achieved with a multimodality approach by adopting a healthy lifestyle through diet modification, physical activity, and possible pharmacological therapy.
● Ramadan fasting has beneficial effects on HDL and LDL levels and could lead to a reduction in abdominal obesity, waist circumference, and waist to hip ratio Ramadan.
Plain Language Summary
Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic calendar (lunar calendar varies between 29 and 30 days) once a year. About 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide are religiously abstained from eating foods, oral intakes, such as medicine (unless in necessary cases) or smoking during the daylight starting from dawn to sunset. Muslims break their fasting just after sunset by having the main meal and then they may have two or three meals during the night until the dawn time. Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) are decreased gradually, especially in the last week of Ramadan compared with before Ramadan. The role of Ramadan fasting positively affect the metabolic syndrome markers, including central obesity, WC, fasting plasma glucose level, triglycerides level, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Blood Pressure (BP). In terms of metabolism and serum hormonal levels, Ramadan fasting may affect the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, as well as related hormones levels. Also, Ramadan fasting has beneficial effects on HDL and LDL levels. Therefore, intermittent fasting, such as Ramadan fasting could be one of the treatment alternatives, especially in people with metastasis or cardiovascular or metabolic diseases considering their physician supervision. In general, Ramadan fasting is associated with positive improvements in different associated lipids, such as apolipoproteins, biochemical index, etc. that may directly or indirectly affect metabolic syndrome markers.