Does fasting during Ramadan make IBD symptoms worse?
Effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting on inflammatory markers, disease severity, depression, and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: A prospective cohort study
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Fecal calprotectin levels didn’t rise—even in patients with baseline levels ≥200 mcg/g who had the worst symptoms.
Calprotectin is the gold standard for gut inflammation; if symptoms worsened but this marker didn’t, it means something else—like stress or medication timing—is driving the flare.
Practical Takeaways
If you have ulcerative colitis and plan to fast during Ramadan, track your symptoms daily and consider adjusting medication timing to align with eating windows.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Fecal calprotectin levels didn’t rise—even in patients with baseline levels ≥200 mcg/g who had the worst symptoms.
Calprotectin is the gold standard for gut inflammation; if symptoms worsened but this marker didn’t, it means something else—like stress or medication timing—is driving the flare.
Practical Takeaways
If you have ulcerative colitis and plan to fast during Ramadan, track your symptoms daily and consider adjusting medication timing to align with eating windows.
Publication
Journal
BMC Gastroenterology
Year
2022
Authors
M. Negm, Ahmed Bahaa, A. Farrag, Rania M Lithy, H. Badary, Mahmoud Essam, Shimaa Y. Kamel, M. Sakr, Waleed Abd El Aaty, M. Shamkh, A. Basiony, Ibrahim Dawoud, H. Shehab
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Claims (10)
Adults aged 30 and older with ulcerative colitis may have more severe symptoms during Ramadan fasting than younger adults with the same condition, even when accounting for differences in medication or how long they've had the disease.
In patients with ulcerative colitis, fasting during Ramadan for 14 to 15 hours per day is linked to a small but measurable increase in disease activity symptoms, especially in individuals aged 30 or older or those with higher baseline levels of fecal calprotectin, without corresponding changes in blood or stool markers of inflammation.
In people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, fasting during Ramadan for one month does not lead to measurable changes in two biomarkers of inflammation: C-reactive protein in the blood and calprotectin in the stool.
People with ulcerative colitis who have elevated levels of fecal calprotectin before Ramadan fasting are more likely to experience a worsening of their symptoms during the fasting period.
In people with Crohn’s disease, fasting during Ramadan does not lead to measurable changes in blood markers of inflammation or symptom severity over one month.