PLoS ONE (Jan 2019)

Short-term maximal performance, alertness, dietary intake, sleep pattern and mood states of physically active young men before, during and after Ramadan observance.

  • Hsen Hsouna,
  • Raouf Abdessalem,
  • Omar Boukhris,
  • Khaled Trabelsi,
  • Lassaad Chtourou,
  • Nabil Tahri,
  • Florian A Engel,
  • Roy J Shephard,
  • Hamdi Chtourou

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217851
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 6
p. e0217851

Abstract

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PurposeTo assess changes in short-term maximal performance, alertness, dietary intake, sleep pattern and mood states of physically active young men before (BR), during and after Ramadan observance.MethodsTwelve physically-active men (age: 21.9±2.4yrs, height:1.77±0.09m, body-mass: 72.6±7.8kg, exercising: ≥3h/week) performed the 5-jump and the digit-cancellation (alertness) tests 15-days BR, on the first (FR) and last 10-days of Ramadan (ER) and 10-days (AR10) and 20-days (AR20) after Ramadan. During each period, sleep pattern (Pittsburgh-Sleep-Quality-Index (PSQI)), mood states (Profile-of-Mood-States (POMS)) and dietary intake were recorded.ResultsNo significant changes in the 5-jump, digit-cancellation test and POMS parameters appeared during and after Ramadan relative to BR. However, the PSQI total score was lower during FR compared to AR10 (pConclusionRamadan had no-adverse effects on the 5-jump performance, alertness, or mood states in physically active young men. However, the sleep duration was shorter and the sleep quality was improved following compared to during Ramadan. The fractional intake of fat also increased at the expense of carbohydrate during Ramadan, and the protein intake was lower at the beginning of Ramadan than before, at the end of and after Ramadan.