Ramadan dry fasting vs 16:8: which boosts cell cleanup more?
NCT ID NCT07638696
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at how two types of fasting—Ramadan dry fasting (no food or water from dawn to sunset) and 16:8 time-restricted feeding (water allowed)—affect the cleanup and renewal of mitochondria, the energy factories in your cells. Researchers will track blood markers in 120 healthy adults over 30 days to see if dry fasting triggers a stronger cellular renewal process. The goal is to understand if combining fasting with natural body rhythms offers unique benefits for cell health.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- fasting (Ramadan dry fasting and 16:8 time-restricted feeding)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could reveal whether dry fasting triggers stronger cellular renewal than water-permitted fasting, pointing toward better fasting strategies for metabolic health.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage observational study in healthy volunteers, not a treatment trial. Results may not apply to people with health conditions, and the findings are based on blood markers, not direct health outcomes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jan 2027
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
The study population consists of healthy adult volunteers aged 18 to 50 with a BMI between 18.5 and 30.0 kg/m². The cohort represents individuals who are either observing the religious dry fast of Ramadan or concurrently practicing standard 16:8 time-restricted feeding. Participants are recruited from the academic and local communities of Bahçeşehir Cyprus University and Near East University in Nicosia, Northern Cyprus\[cite: 1\]. The sample includes both males and females who do not smoke, have stable sleep-wake cycles, and are free from chronic diseases requiring regular prescription medications\[cite: 1\].
- Ages
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18 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Common Criteria (Both Arms): * Age 18-50 years * BMI 18.5-30.0 kg/m²\[cite: 1\] * Non-smoker for at least 12 months\[cite: 1\] * No chronic disease requiring regular prescription medication\[cite: 1\] * Stable sleep-wake schedule (self-reported sleep midpoint deviation less than 90 minutes)\[cite: 1\] * Willing and able to attend all five study visits at the specified times\[cite: 1\] Arm A Specific (Ramadan Dry Fasting): \- Documented religious commitment and intention to complete all 30 days of Ramadan 2027 fasting\[cite: 1\] Arm B Specific (16:8 TRF Control): * Confirmed practice of 16:8 TRF (fasting window 16 hours or more per day) throughout the study period\[cite: 1\] * Not observing Ramadan dry fasting during the study period\[cite: 1\] Exclusion Criteria: * Established type 1 or type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 6.5% or higher or pharmacological antidiabetic therapy)\[cite: 1\] * Severe gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, hepatic, or renal disease (eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73m²)\[cite: 1\] * Active cancer or chemotherapy within five years\[cite: 1\] * Use of metformin, statins, or exogenous antioxidant supplements (vitamins C, E, NAC, CoQ10) within 30 days of screening\[cite: 1\] * Pregnancy, lactation, or planned conception during the study period\[cite: 1\] * Participation in another clinical study within three months\[cite: 1\] * Inability to provide written informed consent in Arabic or English\[cite: 1\]
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Near East University
Nicosia, Cyprus
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