2023-07-04 09:30:45
The Real Madrid striker respects Ramadan, but does not stop scoring goals. Does prolonged fasting have an effect on his physique?
Last update : July 04, 2023
Asking whether Ramadan has a negative effect on Karim Benzema seems meaningless. In yesterday’s game against Chelseahe scored 3 goals, having already practiced religious fasting for 6 days.
This year is special for the Champions League in this sense. There are many Muslim players who practice Ramadan right at key matches.
What happens to the body when you fast for that long? Can athletes endure this lack of nutrition and continue at the same level of play? We analyze it.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the name of the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is a sacred time for those who profess this faith and involves strict fasting for practitioners.
This month does not coincide every year with one of the western calendars. It is in fact calculated according to the lunar phases. Something similar to what happens with the date of Jewish and Christian Easter.
In this year 2022, Ramadan started on April 1 and will continue until May 1coinciding with important matches for Karim Benzema and other elite athletes who play in Champions League. There is a moral obligation for them to conform to the religious prescriptions they profess.
During these 30 days, a very strict fast is performed from sunrise to sunset. Among the most orthodox practitioners, even liquids are not ingested as long as sunlight lasts.
Before sunrise and after sunset it is permitted to eat and drink. But the truth is that Ramadan is not just about limiting intake, but about enter a state of spiritual reflectionwhich is why sexual intercourse and any other physical activity that involves diverting attention from meditation and prayer are also restricted.
To conform to their religion and continue to perform in their teams, Muslim players who participate in European leagues follow different strategies. Liverpool’s Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah trains before dawn during Ramadan, for example.
Salah, a Liverpool striker, has openly revealed how he changes his routines during Ramadan.
Benzema’s relationship with Ramadan
A few days ago, before the game against Chelsea in which Karim Benzema shone without being affected by the Ramadan fast, he gave a note to a French newspaper. There, he expressed himself in this regard:
It has no impact. Ramadan is part of my life and my religion makes Ramadan an obligation. For me it is very important and I feel good when I fast.
~ Karim Benzema ~
The attacker’s family is Algerian and practicing Muslim. He transmitted to his son the principles of this faith and endeavored to preserve them, even while living in the midst of purely Western communities.
Before matches, it is common for the player to have headphones with which he listens to surahs from the Quran. He thus responds to another of the requirements of his faith, which is the knowledge of the sacred texts.
Can you fast for a month and be a top athlete?
Many wonder about the healthy aspect of Ramadan, and not just in Karim Benzema, but in anyone who practices it. Is this long fast beneficial? Or are we consuming too many bodily resources in vain?
First, we must clarify that the way a trained body copes with a lack of food is not the same as someone who does not train regularly. Human systems have other mechanisms to deal with deficiencies when strengthened.
Karim Benzema can score goals during Ramadan because the rest of the year he follows a strict exercise routine and consistent diet to improve every day. When the month-long extended fast elapses, your body has other resources to counter the lack of nutrients and hydration.
Read also: Fasting during pregnancy: risks and recommendations
What happens during a month of fasting?
This form of fasting that Ramadan offers is very different from what is called intermittent fasting. 30 days without solid intake during the day is a serious consideration.
The first thing the body will do is use glucose as an energy source. Maybe it will reach you for 3 or 4 days. Then it must turn to fats and fatty acids to function as fuel.
Once the fat resource is depleted, the body could break down muscle tissue to produce energy. This is the critical and unhealthy point. And there is a big difference between elite athletes and others.
The athlete’s body is prepared to work with another basal metabolism, with greater efficiency in energy production and with an improved response capacity to respond to physical stress. In other words, footballers could go through Ramadan without noticing any differences in performance.
A 2009 study of young Muslim soccer players showed that there were no significant changes in physical testing when practicing Ramadan. More importantly, the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has certified that there are no health concerns for footballers who do the monthly fast in an environment controlled by their coaches and clubs.
Various sports surveys have certified that athletes do not see their performance reduced during Ramadan.
What is a controlled environment for Ramadan in football?
This controlled environment that is offered to footballers who respect Ramadan must follow certain care recommendations. These are scientific suggestions for mitigating the effect of prolonged fasting on athletic performance.
One of the most valid advice validated by medical science is to modify the training program. It is offered to athletes to schedule their sessions at sunsetso they can rehydrate as the sun goes down.
Likewise, they must have a modified sleep routine during Ramadan. They will need to ensure enough hours so that the circadian rhythm does not change too much during the fast. This would prevent the muscle from being used as fuel.
Read also: Cupping therapy: the muscle recovery method followed by Karim Benzema
Ramadan does not seem to diminish Karim Benzema
The 3 goals against Chelsea say a lot. Ramadan does not detract from the performance of Karim Benzema.
But this cannot be attributed to luck. The Real Madrid striker changed his outlook on training and nutrition years ago to become an unstoppable goalscorer today.
Body, soul and spirit are aligned in this man who is able to respect his traditions without affecting his team.
This might interest you…
All cited sources have been thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, timeliness and validity. The bibliography for this article has been considered academically or scientifically reliable and accurate.
Kirkendall, Donald T., et al. “The influence of Ramadan on physical performance measures in young Muslim footballers.” Journal of sports sciences 26.S3 (2008): S15-S27.Zerguini, Yacine, Qanta A. Ahmed, and Jiri Dvorak. “The Muslim football player and Ramadan: Current challenges.” Journal of sports sciences 30.sup1 (2012): S3-S7.Maughan, Ronald J., et al. “Achieving optimum sports performance during Ramadan: some practical recommendations.” Journal of sports sciences 30.sup1 (2012): S109-S117.Chtourou, Hamdi, et al. “Effects of Ramadan fasting on physical performances in soccer players: A systematic review effets du jeûne de Ramadan sur les performances physiques des footballeurs: Revue systématique.” Tun Med 97 (2019): 1114-1131.Aziz, Abdul Rashid, et al. “Effects of Ramadan fasting on the physical activity profile of trained Muslim soccer players during a 90-minute match.” Science and Medicine in Football 2.1 (2018): 29-38.
1688502721
#Ramadan #influence #Karim #Benzemas #performance