title: Effect of ramadan fasting on body water status markers after a rugby sevens match.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on body water status markers of rugby players at basal condition and following a simulation of rugby sevens match.
  
  
  METHODS
  TWELVE RECREATIONAL RUGBY SEVENS PLAYERS PLAYED THREE MATCHES: one day before Ramadan (before Ramadan), at the end of the first week of Ramadan (Beg-R) and at the end of Ramadan (End-R). Before and immediately after each match, body weight was determined and blood samples were taken for the measurement of body water status markers. Total body water was measured with an impedancemeter only before matches.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At rest, an increase in hematocrit (+4.4%, P=0.03), hemoglobin (+3.4%, P=0.01) and plasma osmolarity (+2.8%, P<0.001) was noticed at End-R compared to before Ramadan. Total body water measured before Ramadan did not differ significantly from that of Ramadan. After the match, values of hematocrit and plasma osmolarity increased significantly at End-R (+1.4%, P=0.02; +3.1%, P<0.001 respectively) compared to before Ramadan. Although, hemoglobin measured after matches occurring during Ramadan did not differ from those of before Ramadan. In response to matches, the change of percentage of body water status markers did not differ during each period of the investigation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results show that Ramadan fasting induces dehydration at basal conditions. Also, rugby sevens match played during Ramadan did not exacerbate the magnitude of responses to matches of blood and body water status markers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardio-Circulatory, Respiratory, Metabolic and Hormonal Adaptations to the Muscular Exercise, Faculty of Medicine Ibn El Jazzar, 4002 Sousse, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Trabelsi
authors.forename: Haithem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rebai
authors.forename: Kais
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: El-Abed
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Stannard
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khannous
authors.forename: Liwa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masmoudi
authors.forename: Zouheir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sahnoun
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hakim
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fellman
authors.forename: Zouhair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tabka