Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Permeability Responses to Ramadan Intermittent Fasting in Italian and Lebanese Cohorts: a Real-life Study

Ramadan Intermittent Fasting (RIF) is an annual fasting month from dawn to sunset, practiced by healthy Muslims. While its metabolic benefits are well studied, its effects on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, intestinal permeability, and GI microbiota remain less explored. This study investigated the effects of RIF on gut microbiota composition and markers of intestinal permeability in two distinct populations, i.e., Italy and Lebanon. Participants from Italy and Lebanon were enrolled in this observational longitudinal study and were monitored before, during, and after RIF. Dietary intake was assessed through a validated 3-day food questionnaire before and during RIF. Blood and fecal samples were collected to analyze the markers of intestinal permeability (zonulin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Fatty Acid Binding Protein 2 (FABP2), and total bile acids (TBA), and gut microbiota composition using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

NCT Number	NCT07596875
Lead Sponsor	University of Bari
Conditions	Intermittent Islamic Fasting in Metabolic Syndrome, Ramadan Fasting
Enrollment	79 participants
Start Date	2024-03-11
Primary Completion	2024-04-09 (estimated)
Study Completion	2024-05-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-16