Ramadan Fasting Improves Kidney Functions and Ameliorates Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Patients

1 1 2 3 3 Abstract: The current investigation was carried out to evaluate and characterize the effects of Ramadan fasting and the possible influence of anti-oxidants supplementation with vitamin E on parameters of renal function and oxidative stress in patients with diabetes mellitus. Two study groups of 20 subjects each (n = 20) having an average age of 50 ± 5 years were investigated. One group included normal control subjects recruited from the general population. The second group had patients with diabetes mellitus. Each of the two groups was subdivided into 2 subgroups (n = 10) during the month of Ramadan. One subgroup fasted during the month of Ramadan and the other subgroup fasted and ingested 800 IU of vitamin E per day during Ramadan. Parameters of kidney function namely: blood urea, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, serum electrolytes and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and parameters of oxidative stress namely: serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and blood reduce glutathione (GSH) were all measured during the 4 week of the month of Shabaan th th week of fasting with or without vitamin E supplementation in the two groups. The values of blood urea, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and ACR returned to levels statistically indifferent from their corresponding pre- fasting baseline values, whereas serum MDA were maintained significantly P<0.05 lower by 19.7 and 20.9 and GSH significantly P<0.05 higher than the pre-fasting baseline values by 54.7 and 70.3, 6-weeks post-Ramadan fasting in the control and diabetic groups respectively. In conclusion, results of the present study confirmed that Ramadan fasting doses not have adverse effects; rather it has favorable effects on renal function in the diabetic patients. Furthermore, Ramadan fasting significantly lowers oxidative stress in the body.