Intermittent Fasting: Does It Affect Sports Performance? A Systematic Review

Conde-Pipó, Javier; Mora-Fernandez, Agustín; Martinez-Bebia, Manuel; Gimenez-Blasi, Nuria; Lopez-Moro, Alejandro; Latorre, José Antonio; Almendros-Ruiz, Antonio; Requena, Bernardo; Mariscal-Arcas, Miguel

doi:10.3390/nu16010168

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…A variety of diets most commonly examined among athletes include the Mediterranean diet, low-carb and ketogenic diets, vegetarian and plant-centric diets, and intermittent fasting ( 3 ). Intermittent fasting in particular has recently gained increased attention due to its purported impacts on health and enhancement of body composition in patients with prevalent contemporary pathologies ( 4 ). Intermittent fasting represents a favored dietary pattern that relies on designated periods of fasting and is adopted in various forms by diverse groups globally.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of last meal “Suhoor” timing on diurnal variations in cognitive performance during Ramadan fasting among female athletes

Bougrine,

Ammar,

Trabelsi

et al. 2024

Front. Nutr.

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The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the timing of the last meal, “Suhoor”, on diurnal variation in cognitive performance during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF). In a randomized order, 26 adolescent female athletes (aged 15.9 ± 0.9 y) were tested in three sessions at 7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. across four different conditions: the 10 days preceding Ramadan (PR); the final 12 days of Ramadan (RO): two different conditions: Early Suhoor (SEarly), and Late Suhoor (SLate); and, ultimately, the 10 days immediately after Ramadan (AR) with an in-between recovery period of ≥24 h. During each test session, the oral temperature (OT), simple reaction time test (SRT), choice reaction time test (CRT), attention test (ATT), and mental rotation test (MRT) were evaluated. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and daily diary intake were assessed across the three periods. Compared to PR, the sleep parameters assessed by the PSQI were significantly lower during the RO and AR periods. However, neither total dietary intake nor OT showed any changes due to RIF. Compared to PR, the afternoon performances of SRT, CRT, ATT, and MRT significantly declined under both the SEarly and SLate conditions. Notably, midday performance decreased only during SLate, while morning performance remained unaffected in both conditions. Additionally, compared to SEarly, these performances were better during SLate in the afternoon and at midday. In summary, nutrient intake timing had a significant effect on the diurnal fluctuations in cognitive functions during Ramadan fasting, particularly around noon and in the afternoon. Our results illustrate the benefits of a late last meal (Suhoor) in preserving optimal morning cognitive abilities and preventing any impairment during the fasted state at midday or in the afternoon, which could affect overall athletic performance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of last meal “Suhoor” timing on diurnal variations in cognitive performance during Ramadan fasting among female athletes

Bougrine,

Ammar,

Trabelsi

et al. 2024

Front. Nutr.

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“…Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained attention for its potential health benefits and impact on body composition, especially in patients with prevalent contemporary health issues ( 1 ). This diet, which is prevalent worldwide in various forms, includes specified periods for fasting ( 2 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of intermittent fasting during Ramadan on psychomotor and cognitive skills in adolescent athletes

Bougrine,

Chalghaf,

Azaiez

et al. 2024

Front. Sports Act. Living

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IntroductionIntermittent fasting (IF) represents a dietary intervention similar to caloric restriction, characterized by the strategic limitation of food consumption. Among the diverse array of practices for IF, Ramadan IF (RIF), a religious observance in Islam, mandates that healthy adult Muslims abstain from both food and drinks during daylight hours. In sports, researchers have extensively studied IF effects on health, including sleep and physical performance, but its impact on cognitive functions during RIF remains understudied. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the influence of RIF on psychomotor and cognitive performance among young female athletes.MethodsTo achieve this purpose, a cohort of 23 female handball players, aged 17.2 ± 0.5 years, participated in a series of six testing sessions: one conducted prior to Ramadan (R0), and others during the first (R1), second (R2), third (R3), and fourth (R4) weeks of Ramadan, followed by a session in the week after Ramadan (R5). Each session involved assessments using a Simple Reaction Time Test (SRT), Choice Reaction Time Test (CRT), Vigilance Test (VT), and Mental Rotation Test (MRT). Additionally, dietary intake, body composition, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were evaluated during these periods.Results and discussionThe obtained data illustrated that there was a decrease in SRT, CRT, VT, and MRT performances during R1 in comparison to R0 (all p < .001). This reduction was also observed in R2, R3, R4, and R5. Notably, during the fourth week of Ramadan (R4), these cognitive and psychomotor parameters were significantly lower than during the earlier weeks (R1, R2, R3; all p < .001). Furthermore, a gradual decrease in total PSQI scores, sleep quality, and sleep duration was observed throughout the Ramadan period, reaching the lowest levels during R4. These findings illustrate that RIF has a significantly detrimental impact on neuromuscular and cognitive abilities as well as sleep quality in young female athletes. The study also highlights a fluctuating pattern in cognitive function across the four weeks of Ramadan, with the most pronounced decline observed during the final week of fasting illustrating the importance of conducting similar studies on normal individuals from both genders with larger sample size.

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