title: Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Stress Neurohormones in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of Ramadan fasting on serum levels of stress neurohormones in Iranian women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a clinical trial and was performed during July 2011 (month of Ramadan) in Royan institute, Tehran. A total of 40 women who were aged 20-40 years and known cases of PCOS and had no other medical diseases were included in the study. They were divided into two groups as follows: (i) study group (n = 20) who participated in Ramadan fasting and (ii) control group (n = 20) who did not participate in fasting. For evaluating Ramadan's effect on the level of neurohormones serum level of the following variables were evaluated before and after Ramadan: cortisol, adrenaline (A), noradrenalin (NA), beta-endorphin (β-End), insulin, as well as sex hormones including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the study group after Ramadan serum cortisol and nor-adrenaline levels were significantly lower than the initial levels obtained at beginning of Ramadan (p < 0.05) as compared to control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that Ramadan fasting decreases stress neurohormones in women with PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Vali-e-Asr, Reproductive Health Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine (RICM), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farideh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zangeneh
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salman Yazdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Medical Faculty, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Naghizadeh
authors.affiliation: Maternal, Fetal- Neonatal Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abedinia
keywords: Adrenaline; Cortisol; Noradrenaline; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS); Ramadan Fasting