Can people with thyroid disorders fast during Ramzan? Expert answers
Health and Wellness | Trending | World: Discover if fasting during Ramzan is safe for those with thyroid disorders. WION brings you expert insights from an endocrinologist.
Fasting is one of the most essential religious practices that millions of Muslims around the world follow during Ramzan. It is a well-known fact that fasting brings with it a lot of benefits. However, for people suffering from medical conditions like thyroid, how safe is fasting during Ramzan?
Fasting and Ramzan
During the month of Ramzan, Muslims from all over the world abstain from food and fluid intake from dawn (Sehr) to sunset (Iftar) for 1 month.
As per the US NIH (National Institutes of Health), the "prolonged fasting causes several minor metabolic and hormonal changes in the body which rarely cause any problem to a healthy individual". While for patients suffering from certain chronic diseases like diabetes, the NIH recommends consulting the doctor before fasting, for Thyroid it notes that there are "minimal data suggesting any adjustment in the treatment" during Ramzan.
Ramzan for those with thyroid
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WION connected with Dr Piyush Lodha, endocrinologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, to find what (if any) precautions need to be taken if a person with thyroid -hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or an autoimmune thyroid condition like Hashimoto's or Grave's disease-observes Ramzan fast.
According to Dr Lodha, "those with thyroid disorders need to take special caution to remain healthy during" Ramzan.
"With the right planning, fasting can be made easier and safer for those who have these conditions, in order not to worsen their symptoms," he added.
He recommends that people with thyroid should consult a doctor before fasting.
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"Seeking clinical approval from your endocrinologist should be done to see whether fasting is suitable for your specific case prior to the patient undergoing fasting. If the decision is made that fasting can be done for the patient, the doctor may be required to adjust the dose of medication or recommend dietary measures to prevent complications."
Furthermore, he said that those taking drug therapy must make sure that "proper administration of your thyroid medications" is undertaken "to keep your hormones under control".
According to NIH, proper administration of medicine "is achieved if it is taken half an hour before Sehr".
