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Published on: November 27, 2019
Short-term effects of prolonged fasting on multiple sclerosis
Mohammad Saadatnia1, Masoud Etemadifar, Farzad Fatehi
1Neurology Department, Alzahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
European Neurology
|January 30, 2009
Summary
Fasting during Ramadan did not negatively impact multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with mild disability. A 6-month study found no significant changes in disease progression or relapses for those observing intermittent fasting.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Ramadan fasting involves altered eating and sleeping patterns, raising concerns for patients with chronic conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Previous research has not extensively studied the impact of prolonged intermittent fasting on the disease course of MS patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the short-term effects of prolonged intermittent fasting during Ramadan on the clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS).
- To assess changes in disability status and relapse frequency in MS patients who fasted compared to a control group.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 80 adult MS patients with mild disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score ≤3).
- 40 patients fasted during Ramadan, while 40 did not; both groups were followed for 6 months post-Ramadan.
- Evaluated changes in EDSS scores and recorded clinical relapses in both fasting and non-fasting groups.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in EDSS score changes between the fasting and non-fasting groups (p > 0.05).
- The frequency of clinical relapses was similar in both groups, indicating no short-term adverse effects of fasting on MS.
- The study suggests that intermittent fasting during Ramadan is safe for MS patients with mild disability in the short term.
Conclusions:
- Short-term intermittent fasting during Ramadan does not appear to have an unfavorable impact on the disease course of multiple sclerosis patients with mild disability.
- Larger, multi-center prospective studies with longer follow-up periods are recommended to further validate these findings and assess long-term effects.
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