Article by Abi Woodliffe-Thomas

It is undeniable that fasting itself is challenging. Now think about exercising, or being an athlete, while fasting from dusk until dawn. This reality confronts many Muslims who fast during Ramadan, a holy month when they refrain from food and fluid consumption to cleanse their bodies physically and spiritually. In addition to giving Muslims a greater sense of empathy for those less fortunate financially and socially, fasting allows them to develop a sense of social responsibility. So how do you cater for the needs of athletes that are fasting?

What is Ramadan?

It is during Ramadan that Muslim athletes experience a temporary change in their lives. There is no doubt that athletes should fuel their bodies throughout the day to perform at their best. How, then, can they stay well-fuelled and well-hydrated for training and competitive activities if they can't eat or drink during daylight hours?

Taking place in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community, determined by both the Lunar and Solar calendars. During the holy month, individuals will fast from dusk until dawn; the elderly and children before puberty are exempt from fasting. If a woman is either pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating she is exempt from fasting. However, after the pregnancy she will have to make up for the missed days.

Daily Timeline

The first meal of Ramadan is Suhoor, which serves to fuel Muslims for the fast ahead. The aim of Suhoor is to promote energy stabilisation through slow releasing carbohydrates high in fibre and fat, prevent feelings of lethargy and hunger by consuming slow releasing dairy protein supporting the maintenance of muscle/bone adaptation and repair across the fast. A typical Suhoor meal may consist of full fat yogurt, eggs, cheese, and bread.

The second meal of Iftar is eaten after sunset to break their fast. It is customary to hold family gatherings during the evening meal during Ramadan, and there are rituals associated with breaking of the fast, prayers, and feasts during the night as well. The consumption of 3-5 dates is traditionally used to break the fast, followed by a big meal with the aim to restore carbohydrate stores with fast releasing carbohydrates, restore electrolyte balance and fluid via small regular sips of water and using lean meats to stimulate protein synthesis for muscle/ bone adaptation and repair.

Nutritional considerations

In light of the fundamental importance of pre-, during, and post-nutrition to athletic performance, it would seem understandable that prolonged fasts would have detrimental effects on both training and competition. Despite this, many studies suggest that performance during Ramadan can be maintained by carefully managing the 3 Ts: Total, Type, and Timing (1). There is no doubt that all 3 Ts can profoundly affect adaptations to athletic training / performance and in terms of Ramadan, while Type and Total can be easily controlled, perhaps Timing requires special attention (Table 1).

Interestingly, a fasting athlete's body weight and total energy intake do not vary much depending on how little food they consume (2). In order to achieve this, fluid intake and diet must be optimised after sunset and before sunrise, and sleeping habits must remain consistent throughout the month.

Sleep

Alongside training fasted, those observing Ramadan will likely be fatigued, both physically and mentally due to the absence of regular eating, but also due to sleep disturbance due to the nature of the holy month. To compensate for a shortened night-time sleep during Ramadan, many Muslims take an extra mid-day nap before waking for Iftar in the afternoon. It is common for them to remain awake until the early morning hours following this midday nap, many not sleeping until after Suhoor (especially if Suhoor occurs in the early morning hours) and then napping all day long (3).

Hydration

For improved hydration during Ramadan, athletes are recommended to drink water frequently in shorter intervals rather than in one large amount. In addition, fruits, vegetables, and solid foods including those containing a marginal amount of salt can help to improve water retention (4). Be mindful of salty foods during Suhoor, although beneficial for water retention, over consumption can increase thirst response throughout the day.

Summary

Whilst this is specific for Muslim individuals observing the holy month of Ramadan, it’s important to reiterate the importance of fuelling for exercise. Although some athletes may be able to maintain optimal performance even by using these strategies, some will struggle, and it is recommended to work with a registered sports nutritionist to ensure adequate energy is maintained. Fasted athletes frequently experience impaired performance during Ramadan; however, this generally subsides as the month persists. Fortunately, aerobic strength and muscular endurance have not been shown to be significantly affected (5), but athletes, and non-athletes, may suffer in terms of physical strength partly due to increasing fatigue caused by energy depletion throughout the day.

So, whether you're an athlete, or a more active individual, seek professional advice to support fuelling the fasted.

This blog post was written by Abi Woodliffe-Thomas, who graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science, and MSc in Physiology and Nutrition for Sport and Exercise from Loughborough University. Abi is the Academy Performance Nutritionist at QPR Football club and Derbyshire Country Cricket Club Mens 1s team Nutritionist. Previously Abi has worked as a Performance Nutrition intern across a variety of sports, such as Swimming, Triathlon, Archery and Cricket. You can find regular recipes, education posts, and delicious food over on her instagram, @Happetite_.

References:

(1) Saad, M. (no date) The nutrition -change, Ramadan and sports performance . Available at: https://www.nutritionx.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Nutrition-X-Change-Vol.-7-Ramadan-and-Sports-Performance-1.pdf (Accessed: March 17, 2023).

(2) Shephard R. J. (2012). The impact of Ramadan observance upon athletic performance. Nutrients, 4(6), 491–505.

(3) Maughan, R. J., Zerguini, Y., Chalabi, H., & Dvorak, J. (2012). Achieving optimum sports performance during Ramadan: some practical recommendations. Journal of sports sciences, 30 Suppl 1, S109–S117.

(4) Bjsm. (2022, March 30). Nutrition for the (ramadan) fasted athlete; optimising food and fluids intake for fast breaking time (iftar). BJSM blog – social media’s leading SEM voice.

(5) Burke, L. M., & King, C. (2012). Ramadan fasting and the goals of sports nutrition around exercise. Journal of sports sciences, 30 Suppl 1, S21–S31.

Ramadan: Fuelling The Fasted Athlete