Ramadan fasting and the goals of sports nutrition around exercise

Ramadan fasting, involving abstinence from fluid and food from sunrise to sundown, results in prolonged periods without nutrient intake and inflexibility with the timing of eating and drinking over the day. Dietary choices may also change due to special eating rituals. Although nutrition guidelines are specific to the sport, to the periodized training and competition calendar, and to the individual, many promote the consumption of carbohydrate and fluid before and during exercise, and consumption of protein, carbohydrate, and fluids soon after the session is completed. Failing to meet overall nutritional needs, or to provide specific nutritional support to a session of exercise, is likely to impair acute performance and reduce the effectiveness of training or recovery. Muslim athletes who fast during Ramadan should use overnight opportunities to consume foods and drinks that can supply the nutrients needed to promote performance, adaptation, and recovery in their sports. Because of the benefits of being able to consume at least some of these nutrients before, during or after an exercise session, the schedule of exercise should be shifted where possible to the beginning or end of the day, or during the evening when some nutritional support can be provided.     

Achieving optimum sports performance during Ramadan: some practical recommendations

Muslim athletes should fast from sunrise to sunset each day throughout the 30 days of Ramadan. Most athletes will continue to train throughout Ramadan, and they may also be required to compete at this time, but they will also engage in the religious, cultural, and social activities that Ramadan represents. The available evidence indicates that high-level athletes can maintain performance during Ramadan if physical training, food and fluid intake, and sleep are appropriate and well controlled. Individualized monitoring of athletes may help to prevent fatigue and overtraining and to reduce the risk of consequent illness and injury. The timing and intensity of training may require adjustment to optimize the training response, and training close to or after sunset may have advantages, but this will vary between individual and team sports and between environments that are predominantly Muslim and those that are predominantly non-Muslim. Training late in the day allows nutrition interventions after training to promote adaptations to the training stimulus, to promote recovery, and might help to reduce muscle damage. Sleep deficits have a number of adverse effects on well-being and performance, and athletes should ensure adequate sleep throughout Ramadan. In non-Muslim majority environments, especially in team sports, coaches and athletes should be sensitive to the needs of their team-mates who may be fasting. Event organizers should take account of the needs of Muslim athletes when scheduling the dates and timings of sports competitions.     

Injury rates in professional soccer players during Ramadan

Many of the socio-cultural lifestyle and dietary changes that take place during Ramadan may affect the risk of injury in athletes, but little evidence is available. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects over two consecutive years of the holy month of Ramadan on injury rates in 42 professional players of a Tunisian top-level professional soccer team. Players were retrospectively organized into fasting and non-fasting groups and monitored for 3 months: 4 weeks before Ramadan, during the month of Ramadan (4 weeks), and 4 weeks after Ramadan each year. During Ramadan, training started at 22.00 h. The circumstances (training/match) and mechanism of injury (traumatic/overuse) were recorded. No significant differences between the three periods were observed for weekly mean training load, training strain, training duration, and Hooper's Index (quality of sleep, and quantities of stress, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and fatigue). Compared with non-fasting players, fasters had a lower (P < 0.05) Hooper's Index and stress during and after Ramadan. No significant difference in injury rates was observed between fasting and non-fasting players. Nevertheless, the rates of non-contact (6.8 vs. 0.6 and 1.1) and training overuse (5.6 vs. 0.6 and 0.5) injuries were significantly higher in fasting players during the month of Ramadan than before or after Ramadan. In conclusion, Ramadan, along with the corresponding changes in nutritional habits, sleeping schedule, and socio-cultural and religious events, significantly increased overuse and non-contact injuries in fasting players despite the fact that the training load, strain, and duration were maintained.     

Sleep in athletes and the effects of Ramadan

Sleep is now considered as a new frontier in performance enhancement. This article presents background content on sleep function, sleep needs and methods of sleep investigation along with data on the potential effects of Ramadan fasting on sleep in normal individuals and athletes. Accumulated sleep loss has negative impacts on cognitive function, mood, daytime sleepiness and performance. Sleep studies in athletes fasting during Ramadan are very rare. Most of them have demonstrated that during this month, sleep duration decreased and sleep timing shifted. But the direct relation between sleep changes and performance during Ramadan is not yet elucidated. Objective sleep patterns can be investigated using polysomnography, actigraphy, and standardised questionnaires and recorded in daily journals or sleep logs. The available data on sleep indicate that team doctors and coaches should consider planning sleep schedule and napping; implementing educational programmes focusing on the need for healthy sleep; and consider routine screening for sleep loss in athletes of all age groups and genders.     

The effects of Ramadan intermittent fasting on athletic performance: recommendations for the maintenance of physical fitness

The behavioural modifications that accompany Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) are usually associated with some alterations in the metabolic, physiological, and psychological responses of athletes that may affect sport performance. Muslim athletes who are required to train and/or compete during the month-long, diurnal fast must adopt coping strategies that allow them to maintain physical fitness and motivation if they are to perform at the highest level. This updated review aims to present the current state of knowledge of the effects of RIF on training and performance, focusing on key-factors that contribute to the effects of Ramadan on exercise performance: energy restriction, sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm perturbation, dehydration, and alterations in the training load. The available literature contain few studies that have examined the effects of RIF on physical performance in athletes and, to date, the results are inconclusive, so the effects of RIF on competition outcomes are not at present wholly understood. The diverse findings probably indicate individual differences in the adaptability and self-generated coping strategies of athletes during fasting and training. However, the results of the small number of well-controlled studies that have examined the effects of Ramadan on athletic performance suggest that few aspects of physical fitness are negatively affected, and where decrements are observed these are usually modest. Subjective feelings of fatigue and other mood indicators are often cited as implying additional stress on the athlete throughout Ramadan, but most studies show that these factors may not result in decreases in performance and that perceived exercise intensity is unlikely to increase to any significant degree. Current evidence from good, well-controlled research supports the conclusion that athletes who maintain their total energy and macronutrient intake, training load, body composition, and sleep length and quality are unlikely to suffer any substantial decrements in performance during Ramadan. Further research is required to determine the effect of RIF on the most challenging events or exercise protocols and on elite athletes competing in extreme environments.     

Total sleep time in Muslim football players is reduced during Ramadan: a pilot study on the standardized assessment of subjective sleep-wake patterns in athletes

Ramadan is a period in which Muslims fast during daylight hours and is associated with disturbances in sleep-wake behaviour and adverse effects on physical and mental health in normal volunteers. Studies using athletes are rare and remain equivocal as to whether Ramadan influences sleep-wake patterns. Notably, the standardized assessment of subjective sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in athletes has not been established. This study employed the Arabic version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale in nine football players aged 20-35 years (mean ± s: 26 ± 4) one week before and during the last week of Ramadan. Compliance rates with self-administration were high (71%) and the results demonstrated a robust decline in total sleep time (before Ramadan: 6.6 ± 2 h; at the end of Ramadan: 5.3 ± 1 h; P < 0.05, effect size 0.81). Compared with previous research, the study questionnaires offer improved methodology, including less time constraints plus standardization in scoring. Thus, this study demonstrates a framework for greater reproducibility and reliability in the assessment of subjective sleep-wake patterns in athletes before and during Ramadan.     

Hydration and performance during Ramadan

In the absence of any food or fluid intake during the hours of daylight during the month of Ramadan, a progressive loss of body water will occur over the course of each day, though these losses can be completely replaced each night. Large body water deficits will impair both physical and cognitive performance. The point at which water loss will begin to affect performance is not well defined, but it may be as little as 1-2% of body mass. For resting individuals in a temperate environment, the water loss that occurs during a day without food or fluid will typically amount to about 1% of body mass by the time of sunset. This small loss of body water is unlikely to have a major adverse effect on any aspect of physical or cognitive performance. Larger body water losses will occur, however, in hot weather or if exercise is undertaken. Performance in events lasting about 1 hour or longer may be impaired in the absence of fluid intake during the event. In weight-category sports, there may be difficulties due to the impossibility of restoring body water content between the weigh-in and competition, and athletes will require alternative strategies. Where more than one competition or training session takes place in a single day and where substantial fluid losses are incurred, recovery will be impaired by the absence of fluid intake.     

The Muslim football player and Ramadan: current challenges

Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic faith characterised by devotional orthopraxy. The actions expected of followers of Islam are closely prescribed in the Qur'an. Muslims understand Ramadan as a mandatory requirement, excused only in the event of illness, infirmity or extremes of age. Due to the increasing popularity of football among Muslims, more and more Muslim football players of all levels make the decision to follow the Ramadan fast while they need to practise and compete. Sports medicine clinicians and scientists have the responsibility to provide them with the knowledge and evidence on how exactly Ramadan fasting impacts on their performance and how to optimise their eating, drinking and sleeping in order to minimise negative effects of their religious practice, should any have been demonstrated. The first International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC) study concluded that biochemical, nutritional, subjective well-being and performance variables were not adversely affected in young male national level players who followed Ramadan fasting in a controlled environment. Match performance was however not measured and the study did not include elite level players, leading to the Ramadan consensus meeting in order to answer the remaining questions. The conclusions and recommendations published in this supplement suggest that the best coping strategies will remain individual - as is the choice to fast.     

Impact of carbohydrate mouth rinsing on time to exhaustion during Ramadan: A randomized controlled trial in Jordanian men

Mouth rinsing using a carbohydrate (CHO) solution has been suggested to improve physical performance in fasting participants. This study examined the effects of CHO mouth rinsing during Ramadan fasting on running time to exhaustion and on peak treadmill speed (V_peak). In a counterbalanced crossover design, 18 sub-elite male runners (Age: 21?±?2 years, Weight: 68.1?±?5.7?kg, VO_2max: 55.4?±?4.8?ml/kg/min) who observed Ramadan completed a familiarization trial and three experimental trials. The three trials included rinsing and expectorating a 25?mL bolus of either a 7.5% sucrose solution (CHO), a flavour and taste matched placebo solution (PLA) for 10?s, or no rinse (CON). The treatments were performed prior to an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion. Three-day dietary and exercise records were obtained on two occasions and analysed. Anthropometric characteristics were obtained and recorded for all participants. A main effect for mouth rinse on peak velocity (V_peak) (CHO: 17.6?±?1.5?km/h; PLA: 17.1?±?1.4?km/h; CON: 16.7?±?1.2?km/h; P?η_p²?=?0.49) and time to exhaustion (CHO: 1282.0?±?121.3?s; PLA: 1258.1?±?113.4?s; CON: 1228.7?±?98.5?s; P?=?.002, η_p²?=?0.41) was detected, with CHO significantly higher than PLA (P?P?P?>?.05). Energy availability from dietary analysis, body weight, and fat-free mass did not change during the last two weeks of Ramadan (P?>?.05). This study concludes that carbohydrate mouth rinsing improves running time to exhaustion and peak treadmill speed under Ramadan fasting conditions.     

The effect of carbohydrate and caffeine mouth rinsing on kicking performance in competitive Taekwondo athletes during Ramadan

ABSTRACT

Mouth rinsing has been proposed as a strategy to minimize performance decrements during Ramadan. We investigated the effect of 4 weeks of Ramadan on kicking performance in 27 Taekwondo athletes performing weekly Taekwondo Anaerobic Intermittent Kick Tests (TAIKT). The effects of a placebo, 6.4% glucose and 6-mg/kg caffeine mouth rinses on TAIKT performance and perceived exertion were investigated before, during weekly training sessions, and after Ramadan in a counterbalanced, crossover design. Ramadan had a significant negative impact on the percentage of successful kicks in Week 1 of Ramadan (pre: 76.7±0.4%, Week 1: 69.9±3.2%). The percentage of successful kicks was significantly greater in the caffeine mouth rinse condition compared to the glucose and placebo conditions during the first 3 weeks of Ramadan (caffeine: 38.3±6.8%, glucose: 36.4±6.9%, placebo: 36.0±6.5%). Caffeine decreased perceived exertion during Ramadan (0.74-1.15 AU, p>0.05). Our results showed that Ramadan had a significant negative effect on repeated high-intensity kicking efforts that should be considered when training and competing. Additionally, there were significant positive effects of a caffeine mouth rinse in a sport-specific test. These data suggest that athletes can consider mouth rinsing as a strategy to enhance performance when undertaking training or competition during a period of privation.     

Being a Muslim football player in Europe

Some of the biggest names in European football today are Muslims, and the game is considered an important force for integration. Observant Muslim players engage with conflicts between religious norms and football norms, including whether, according to Islamic law, playing football for a financial reward is permissible, whether it is permissible to defer fasting during Ramadan for the sake of playing and how to deal, within the context of a football team, with Islamic prohibitions on communal nudity and drinking alcohol. The aims of the article are twofold: (a) to present the religio-legal and cultural context of challenges Muslim players face and the spectrum of contesting opinions in Islamic law regarding these challenges; (b) and to explore the different choices Muslim players make when Islamic and football norms and practices collide, the dynamics leading to these choices and how they are justified.     

Circadian variation and soccer performance: implications for training and match-play during Ramadan

Ramadan results in a number of behavioural alterations in individuals when compared to their normal habits outside of this holy month. These changes in behaviour could impact upon the effectiveness of the activity of an elite athlete who has high daily activity levels and energy expenditures. Understanding the true impact of Ramadan on human physiology will also require an awareness of the key aspects of circadian rhythms. This article will present theoretical background content on circadian rhythms along with data on the potential influence of circadian variation on soccer performance. It will also attempt to provide an insight into the problems of partial sleep deprivation and travel for the elite player. The contents will suggest that there is a basis for the within-day variation in physiological and psychological function to impact soccer performance if games are played early in the day or very late at night. As competitive fixtures are uncommon at these times these influences may be more relevant to the timing and organisation of training sessions. It is also likely that a lack of sleep and excessive travel will provide conditions that are not conducive to optimal performance. This would indicate that teams should think carefully about their preparation strategies for important tournaments and games.     

Strategies for maintaining fitness and performance during Ramadan

The Muslim athlete, whether living in a Muslim majority country or in a non-Muslim country, face unique challenges to faithfully follow one of the pillars of their faith - Ramadan - while attempting to maintain their participation in sports training and competition. There are conflicting reports on the effects of Ramadan on fitness and physical performance in general and in football in particular. In general, the impact of a brief daytime fast has minor effects on health or factors of physical fitness. Add physical training and now a new set of barriers to both performance and the observance of Ramadan begin to interact. Practising athletes have worked out strategies to cope with the rigors of Ramadan; strategies that have both physical (training modifications, dietary habits, rest and recovery) and emotional (patience, emotional preparations) domains. Carefully blending strategies like these can help the football player be true to their faith and follow the tenants of Ramadan hopefully, with a minimum of impact on their physical performance. In this context, science can help coaches improve their training plans and educate players with respect to the challenges presented by Ramadan to all levels of sports participation.     

The effect of 10 days of intermittent fasting on Wingate anaerobic power and prolonged high-intensity time-to-exhaustion cycling performance

Many physically active individuals have undertaken intermittent fasting to reduce their daily caloric intake. However, abstaining from meals for a specific length of time may lead to the acute disturbance of highly carbohydrate-dependent exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of 10 days of intermittent fasting on high-intensity type exercises, Wingate anaerobic (WT) and prolonged high-intensity time-to-exhaustion (HIT) cycling test. Twenty participants were randomised into an intermittent fasting (FAS) and a control group (CON). One day after baseline data collection on Day-0 where participants consumed their recommended daily caloric intake (FAS?=?2500?±?143?kcal?day^?1; CON?=?2492?±?20?kcal?day^?1) served over a course of five meals, the FAS group consumed only four meals where 40% was restricted by the omission of lunch (FAS?=?1500?±?55?kcal?day^?1). This diet was then continued for 10 days. Data on exercise performance and other dependent variables were collected on Day-2, -4, -6, -8 and -10. A reduction in WT power in the FAS group was observed on Day-2 (821.74?±?66.07?W) compared to Day-0 (847.63?±?95.94?W) with a moderate effect size (p?p?p?相似文献   

Sport and Muslim men in the Greater Toronto Area,Canada: an exploratory study

This study is based on semi-structured interviews with nine Muslim men, between 19 and 25 years of age, living in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada, about their sport experiences. Study participants tried to balance their sporting interests with their desire to follow their faith, demonstrating varying degrees and dimensions of social inclusion. Sometimes physical education teachers and coaches facilitated inclusion, especially with regards to prayers and limiting activity levels during Ramadan. In contrast, with respect to factors not directly part of the game or sport, the men had to negotiate and reconcile conflicts between their beliefs and some of the normalized practices within the sport culture they were in. This included gendered norms of coarse and sexualized language, alcohol consumption and the provision of non-halal food. A few participants therefore found it far more comfortable and easier to participate in Muslim-led or Islamic informed sport.     

Restricting opportunities to be active during school time: do children compensate by increasing physical activity levels after school?

Opportunities for children to be physically active during school time are sparse and becoming increasingly so. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if children would compensate for school days (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) of restricted physical activity opportunities by increasing activity levels after school (3 p.m.-7:30 p.m.). Third and fourth grade children (N = 76) each wore a CSA accelerometer for 4 nonconsecutive days. Two days were categorized as active--during school, all children participated in outdoor recess and physical education class. Two days were categorized as restricted--all children spent their recess time indoors at a computer terminal, and no physical education class was scheduled. Dependent t tests revealed that children did not compensate for a sedentary school day by increasing their levels of physical activity after school. In fact, average movement counts per minute were higher in the 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m. period following the active day (525 counts.min-1) versus the restricted day (186 counts.min-1). These findings suggest cause for concern if children's opportunities to be active within school time are limited. Several reasons are given as to why children did not compensate or "make up" for the physical activity opportunities missed during the restricted school day.     

2型糖尿病运动治疗中的力量训练

根据2010年我国相关机构最新公布的大中城市糖尿病患者调查结果显示,我国城市人口中成年人糖尿病发病率已达9.7%。由此推测中国糖尿病患者人数已达9 240万。目前,中国已成为世界第二大糖尿病人口大国,仅次于印度,其中90%是2型糖尿病。数据显示,中国每年仅用于城市糖尿病患者的医疗支出就达到187.5亿,占全国医疗总费用的3.94%。运动疗法是防治糖尿病最重要的方法之一,中等强度的有氧训练一直被用于治疗2型糖尿病,但力量训练在治疗糖尿病中的重要作用一直被忽视。本文旨在为采用力量训练治疗2型糖尿病提供理论依据和实践参考。     

Organismic integration as a dynamic process: a systematic review of empirical studies on change in behavioral regulations in exercise in adults

In facilitating the adoption of exercise behavior, attention should be directed towards the dynamic nature of behavioral regulations. Organismic integration theory presents a suitable framework for investigating fluctuations in behavioral regulations. However, current results pertaining to this issue revealed mixed findings. The aim of this review is to examine the empirical literature on the dynamic nature of organismic integration theory in exercise settings over time in adults. A systematic review of English articles using PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ScienceDirect, and SPORTDiscus was conducted including keywords of organismic integration theory, longitudinal designs, change in behavioral regulations, and exercise. Findings are summarized through quantitative analysis of the evidence. Regarding autonomous regulations, steady increases in regulations are observable that originate within the first weeks and persist for up to one year. Most studies reported no changes in controlled regulations, although in a few cases changes were observed six weeks after baseline or later. The review adds to the theoretical understanding of how behavioral regulations are internalized. However, whether changes in regulation occur depends on both the type of regulation and on contextual characteristics. Future research of longitudinal design is warranted to identify optimal periods in which individuals seek for increased support during exercise adoption.     

Segmented sedentary time and physical activity patterns throughout the week from wrist-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers among children 7-12 years old

Background:This study examined the volume and patterns of physical activity(PA) and sedentary time(ST) across different segments of the week among boys and girls.Methods:A total of 188 children aged 7-12 years wore a wrist-mounted ActiGraph GT3 X+accelerometer for 7 days.Time spent in PA and ST was calculated using ActiLife software.The mean number of minutes of light PA,moderate PA,vigorous PA,moderate-to-vigorous PA(MVPA),and ST were calculated per weekday(before school,during school,and after school) and per weekend day(morning and afternoon-evening).Results:After school represented the greatest accumulation of ST compared with before school and during school segments.Boys engaged in225.4 min/day of ST(95% confidence interval(CI):216-235),and girls engaged in 222.2 min/day of ST(95%CI:213-231).During school,boys engaged in significantly more MVPA than girls(46.1 min/day(95%CI:44-48) vs.40.7 min/day(95%CI:39-43)).Across the whole weekday,boys participated in significantly more MVPA than girls(103.9 min/day(95%CI:99-109) vs.95.7 min/day(95%CI:90-101)).The weekend afternoon—evening segment represented the larger accumulation of ST,where boys were significantly more sedentary than girls(367.5 min/day(95%CI:353-382) vs.339.8 min/day(95%CI:325-355),respectively).Conclusion:Our findings suggest that children are highly sedentary and spend little of their time in school in MVPA,especially girls.Routine breaks in school elicit increases in light PA and MVPA.Future work should consider the use of more active breaks within school time to encourage PA and reduce ST.     

Strategies to maintain skeletal muscle mass in the injured athlete: Nutritional considerations and exercise mimetics

Abstract

The recovery from many injuries sustained in athletic training or competition often requires an extensive period of limb immobilisation (muscle disuse). Such periods induce skeletal muscle loss and consequent declines in metabolic health and functional capacity, particularly during the early stages (1–2 weeks) of muscle disuse. The extent of muscle loss during injury strongly influences the level and duration of rehabilitation required. Currently, however, efforts to intervene and attenuate muscle loss during the initial two weeks of injury are minimal. Mechanistically, muscle disuse atrophy is primarily attributed to a decline in basal muscle protein synthesis rate and the development of anabolic resistance to food intake. Dietary protein consumption is of critical importance for stimulating muscle protein synthesis rates throughout the day. Given that the injured athlete greatly reduces physical activity levels, maintaining muscle mass whilst simultaneously avoiding gains in fat mass can become challenging. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that maintaining or increasing daily protein intake by focusing upon the amount, type and timing of dietary protein ingestion throughout the day can restrict the loss of muscle mass and strength during recovery from injury. Moreover, neuromuscular electrical stimulation may be applied to evoke involuntary muscle contractions and support muscle mass maintenance in the injured athlete. Although more applied work is required to translate laboratory findings directly to the injured athlete, current recommendations for practitioners aiming to limit the loss of muscle mass and/or strength following injury in their athletes are outlined herein.