Ramadan fasting and relative leukocyte telomere length in type 2 diabetes: before-and-after study
In 48 adults aged 40–60 with type 2 diabetes, relative leukocyte telomere length did not differ significantly before versus after at least 14 days of Ramadan fasting, though the authors note a tendency toward an increase. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Leukocyte telomere length is described as a biomarker of cellular senescence, and shortened telomeres had been associated with type 2 diabetes. [1]
In 48 subjects with type 2 diabetes, relative telomere length was comparable before versus after at least 14 days of Ramadan fasting (p = 0.112). [1]
The authors report no significant difference but a tendency toward an increase in relative telomere length. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Interventional before-and-after study (abstract)
- Population / context
- Adults aged 40–60 with type 2 diabetes recruited from an internal medicine outpatient clinic in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- April 26, 2026
Telomere length as senescence marker in type 2 diabetes
The study frames leukocyte telomere length as a biomarker of cellular senescence. Previous work reported associations between shortened telomeres and type 2 diabetes, but the underlying factors remained unclear. Ramadan fasting has consistently been shown to improve anthropometric and metabolic parameters in type 2 diabetes, yet its effect on cellular senescence had scarcely been reported. The authors therefore asked whether Ramadan fasting affects leukocyte telomere length in people with type 2 diabetes.
Supporting source [1]
Before-and-after comparison in 48 Jakarta outpatients
This was an interventional before-and-after study of 40–60-year-old subjects with type 2 diabetes, consecutively recruited before Ramadan fasting in May 2018 and May 2019 from the Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. Relative telomere length was compared in 48 subjects before fasting and after at least 14 days of fasting, then adjusted for key clinical and biochemical parameters. The relative values were comparable: 0.391 (range 0.021–1.515) before versus 1.117 (range 0.528–1.741) after, p = 0.112.
Supporting source [1]
No significant difference, but a noted upward tendency
The authors concluded that no significant difference was found in relative leukocyte telomere length among subjects with type 2 diabetes who had undergone Ramadan fasting for at least 14 days. They also stated that the study showed a tendency toward an increase in relative telomere length. This is an abstract only; the full text was not reviewed, so details such as adherence, fasting duration beyond the minimum, and adjustment results cannot be assessed here. The comparison is within the same participants over time, not a randomized comparison with a non-fasting group.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The design is a before-and-after study without a non-fasting comparison group, with 48 participants recruited in 2018 and 2019. Adherence, exact fasting duration and adjustment results are not reported in the abstract. The noted tendency was not statistically significant.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Hardika M, Kurniawan F, Laksmi PW, Wafa S, Marliau RM, Barinda AJ, Harbuwono D, Tahapary D. · europepmc.org · April 26, 2026