An observational study in Mitochondrial Degradation, Autophagy and Fasting, sponsored by Bahcesehir Cyprus University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Cyprus. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-11.
Sponsored by Bahcesehir Cyprus University · Observational
This study investigates how different types of fasting affect cell health, specifically focusing on how mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of cells) are cleared and renewed. While standard intermittent fasting allows water intake, Ramadan dry fasting involves total restriction of both food and fluids from dawn to sunset.
Researchers want to see if the combined effects of fluid restriction and natural daily body rhythms during Ramadan trigger a stronger cellular cleanup process (called mitophagy) compared to standard 16:8 water-permitted fasting. The study will look at how these fasting habits change blood markers related to mitochondrial DNA and metabolic health across a 30-day period. This research will help determine if dry fasting offers distinct biological benefits for cellular renewal.
This is a prospective, single-centre, parallel-group, longitudinal observational cohort study conducted across Ramadan 2027. The study aims to evaluate the distinct molecular and metabolic trajectories of intermittent dry fasting compared to standard fluid-permitted time-restricted feeding (TRF).
Participants will be allocated to one of two parallel groups based on their self-selected, established fasting practices:
Participants in both groups will be pairwise-matched based on age and BMI at screening. Blood samples will be collected from all participants at five distinct milestones:
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum will be isolated from the collected blood. Laboratory analyses will measure mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number changes via qPCR, alongside a quantitative gene expression panel evaluating key regulators of mitophagy (such as PINK1 and Parkin), mitochondrial biogenesis, and general autophagy. Secondary evaluations include routine serum metabolic indicators, inflammatory markers, and dietary monitoring to evaluate the physiological pathways predicted by computational systems pharmacology.
333 studies on the registry are indexed under Intermittent Fasting; 99 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 120 is above the median of 67 across 12 observational studies indexed under Intermittent Fasting.
Browse Intermittent Fasting studies →Bahcesehir Cyprus University is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Compared within Intermittent Fasting, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Fasting. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
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].
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
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):
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HbA1c
A blood test of average blood sugar over the past two to three months, given as a percentage or in mmol/mol. 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or more is the usual threshold for diabetes, normally confirmed by a second test.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants observing complete, daily fluid and nutrient deprivation from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib) for 30 consecutive days during Ramadan 2027
Behavioral: Ramadan Intermittent Dry Fasting (Sawm)
Pairwise-matched control participants practicing a fluid-permitted, 16-hour daily fasting window observed concurrently during the same calendar period
Behavioral: 16:8 Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF)
Total fluid and nutrient restriction enforced daily from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib) for 30 consecutive days. Food and fluid consumption are restricted to the nocturnal period
A 16-hour daily fasting window where calorie-containing foods and beverages are completely restricted. Fluid intake (such as water or uncaloried drinks) is permitted throughout the fasting period
Between-arm difference in PINK1 and Parkin mitophagy gene expression
Relative expression levels of PINK1 and Parkin mRNA will be quantified via probe-based quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) from isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Normalization will be performed using the geometric mean of housekeeping genes GAPDH and B2M. Evaluation will focus on the between-arm contrast (Arm A vs. Arm B) of the change metric using relative quantification (2\^-ΔΔCt).
Time frame: Change from baseline (Day -3) to Day 30 of the fasting period
Between-arm difference in mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtCN)
Mitochondrial DNA copy number will be quantified by qPCR targeting the mitochondrial reference region MT-RNR1 (12S rRNA), normalized to the nuclear reference gene B2M. Relative mtCN is calculated using the formula: 2 × (Ct\_nuclear - Ct\_mtDNA). The primary evaluation is the between-arm difference in net change at Day 30 to test for a predicted U-shaped cellular trajectory
Time frame: Change from baseline (Day -3) to Day 30 of the fasting period
Plan to share: Yes
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Clinical study report
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Bahcesehir Cyprus University