Research

Energy balance

Ramadan fasting significantly impairs anaerobic power (Wingate peak and mean power) and upper-body strength (bench press), but does not significantly affect lower-body maximal strength (leg press), explosive power (countermovement jump), or isometric strength (handgrip).

During prolonged fasting, expect a drop in your ability to perform high-intensity, short-duration efforts (like sprints or heavy upper-body lifts). Your leg strength and vertical jump may remain stable, but prioritize recovery and nutrition strategies for anaerobic tasks.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Ramadan fasting significantly lowered Wingate peak power, mean power, and bench press strength compared to the non-fasting control... Leg press, countermovement jump, and handgrip strength showed no significant differences across conditions.
Abdullah Demirli et al. · PLoS ONE · 2026

Why this rating

Robust crossover design with standardized testing.

Source

Effects of protein sources at sahur on anaerobic power and strength during Ramadan in combat sport athletes: A single blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced crossover study design

Abdullah Demirli et al. · PLoS ONE · 2026

DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0340961

crossover · n=24Cited 1×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →