Cardio-respiratory responses to moderately heavy aerobic exercise during the Ramadan fasts.

Abstract

Hormonal changes associated with dehydration or fasting, abstention from consumption of substances with negative inotropy and changes in circadian rhythms during Ramadan may be responsible for these mild changes in cardiorespiratory responses to exercise. Such changes had no negative effect on the physical aerobic performance of these subjects while exercising at moderately heavy intensity under thermally neutral conditions, during the month of Ramadan. Reduced ventilation during exercise may reflect a limited glycolytic capacity by the end of Ramadan.