The impact of ramazan i’tikaf on immune system

Abstract

I’tikaaf is a worship maintained by very deep hunger in fasting month of Ramadan. Hunger causes different results on the immune system. This is a prospective study. In this study, the changes in the immune system were investigated during the period of the i’tikaf, which is deep hunger worship. In the last 10 days of Ramadan, before and at the end of i’tikaf blood was taken from 46 male volunteers who performed i’tikaf worship and various biochemical and immunological parameters were examined. Comparison of the measures taken before and after i’tikaf indicated a statistically significant decrease in weight, BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference (p<0.001). Of the hematologic parameters, the lymphocyte count increased significantly (p=0.009). Also, a significant increase was observed in the values of IgA, IgM ve Ig G within the hematological parameters (p<0.001). During the period of i’tikaf, feeding with very low calories (1000 calories) caused an increase in the levels of lymphocyte and immunoglobulins and got the immune system stronger.