Does Ramadan intermittent fasting affect the intraday variations of cognitive and high-intensity short-term maximal performances in young female handball players?

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the effect of Ramadan fasting (RF) on the morning-afternoon differences of cognitive and short-term maximal performances. . Fifteen young female handball players completed the attention (AT), simple reaction time (SRT), squat jump (SJ), Illinois agility (IAT) and 5-m shuttle run (5mSRT, to assess total (TD) and peak (PD) distances) tests at 08h00 and 1800 during ten days before Ramadan (BR), first ten days of Ramadan (F10R), last ten days of Ramadan (L10R) and ten days after Ramadan (AR). The results revealed that BR, SRT, AT, SJ, IA, TD and PD were greater in the afternoon compared to the morning (p<0.001). This morning-afternoon differences in physical and cognitive performances were reduced during F10R and were blunted or reversed during L10R (p<0.05). These findings suggest that the intraday differences in cognitive and physical performance in young female handball players might be blunted and/or reversed during RF.