Muslims do not fast because of medical benefits, but because it has been ordained to them through our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him). There are so many medical benefits as a result of fasting. Fasting, in general, has been used in medicine for medical reasons including weight management, for rest of the digestive tract and for lowering lipids. There are many adverse effects of total fasting as well as so-called crash diets. Islamic fasting is different from such diet plans because in Ramadan fasting, there is no malnutrition or inadequate calorie intake. The caloric intake of Muslims during Ramadan is at or slightly below the national requirement guidelines. In addition, the fasting in Ramadan is self - willingly taken and is not a prescribed imposition from the physician.

Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and self-training, with the hope that this training will last beyond the end of Ramadan. If the lessons learned during Ramadan, whether in terms of dietary intake or righteousness, and piety is carried on after Ramadan, it is beneficial for one’s entire life. Moreover, the type of food taken during Ramadan does not have any selective criteria of crash diets, such as those which are protein only or fruit only type diets.

Everything that is permissible is taken in moderate quantities. The only difference between Ramadan and total fasting is the timing of the food; during Ramadan, we basically miss lunch and take an early breakfast and do not eat until dusk.

Abstinence from water, during this period, is not bad at all and in fact, it causes concentration of all fluids within the body, producing slight dehydration. The body has its own water conservation mechanism; in fact, it has been shown that slight dehydration and water conservation, improves their longevity.

The physiological effect of fasting includes lower of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol and lowering of the systolic blood pressure. In fact, Ramadan fasting would be an ideal recommendation for treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity and essential hypertension. In 1994, the first international congress on “Health and Ramadan”, held in Casablanca, entered 50 research papers from all over the world, from Muslim and non-Muslim researchers who have done extensive studies on the medical ethics of fasting.

While improvement in many medical conditions was noted; however, in no way did fasting worsen any patients’ health or base line medical condition.  On the other hand, patients, who are suffering from severe diseases, whether diabetes or coronary artery disease, kidney stones and so on, are exempt from fasting. 

There are psychological effects of fasting as well.  There is a peace and tranquility for those who fast during the month of Ramadan.  Personal hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases.  Muslims take advice from the prophet who said: “If one of slanders you are aggresses against you, say I am fasting.”  This psychological improvement could be related to better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behavioral changes. 

Fasting prevents cancer

Fasting not only prevents stomach diseases and diseases related to digestion, but also, destroys the cells in the liver which cause cancer; said Dr. D. Gupta, Deputy Director of center for cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMP), while delivering a lecture on the topic of “Fasting and being healthy and active” at a gathering organized by the Rotary Club.

Referring to the recent study conducted in Australia , Dr. Gupta said that controlled diet prevented the growth of cancer in animals, more likely that this function is performed in humans too.

Answering the questions as to how long fasts should be observed, Dr. Gupta said: average fifteen hour per day fasting is good for humans, but excess of it can also be harmful. One or two days fasting every month is good for health.

Heavy intake of food, so as to store food in the body before the fast on the part of the fast-keepers and likewise, intake of more than the usual diet after breaking the fast, is by no means fruitful. Further, he declared that the notion also has not been proved scientifically correct that the body weakens due to fasting. Recent experiments, which done on effects of starvation in rats by CCMB, shows that during the starvation, excess food present in the body is absorbed by intestinal cells.

Excess food is gathered in liver in the form of fats. When the food is not available, some enzymes break them and change them into glucose and like this the body gets energy.

If we never fast the enzyme system, which changes fast into glucose, cannot remain effective. Hence, keeping fast occasionally is good for the body.