Can spirituality help lower blood sugar spikes in people who are fasting? Research on this topic is limited, but some evidence from studies on religious fasting like Ramadan suggests it might play a role indirectly by reducing hunger feelings that could otherwise lead to blood sugar ups and downs.
Fasting, such as during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF), often ties closely to spiritual practices. One study looked at how this fasting affects hedonic hunger, which is the strong craving for tasty foods that can trigger eating binges and blood sugar spikes once fasting ends. In the study, people starting RIF had higher hunger scores in the first week compared to before fasting, with significant rises in cravings for food available (p=0.016), food tasted (p=0.002), and overall hunger (p=0.048). But by the end of the fasting period, these scores returned to pre-fasting levels, showing adaptation over time. Participants also lost weight (0.6 kg on average, p<0.001) and saw BMI drop (0.3 kg/m², p=0.003), with hunger changes linking weakly but negatively to weight loss. This hints that sticking with fasting through spiritual motivation helps people adapt to hunger, potentially stabilizing blood sugar by avoiding overeating later. For the full study, see https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1718105/full.
Spirituality in fasting often builds mental strength to handle discomfort, like hunger pangs that might raise stress hormones and indirectly spike blood sugar. While no direct studies measure blood sugar spikes tied to spirituality alone, the adaptation seen in religious fasting points to a mind-body link. Practices like prayer or mindfulness, common in spiritual routines, may calm the body enough to blunt those spikes.
Some ancient herbs used in spiritual traditions also support blood sugar control during fasting. Cinnamon, mentioned in old texts like the Bible and Chinese writings from 2800 BC, lowers hemoglobin A1C and improves glucose in type 2 diabetes patients. Fenugreek seeds enhance glycemic control and cut insulin resistance. Black seed oil boosts fasting blood glucose, insulin secretion, and glycogen storage. These could pair well with spiritual fasting for better results. Details on these herbs are at https://www.supplysidesj.com/herbs-botanicals/ancient-herbs-for-regulating-blood-sugar.
Overall, while hard data on spirituality directly cutting blood sugar spikes is scarce, its role in helping fasters adapt to hunger offers a promising angle worth more research.
Sources
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1718105/full
https://www.supplysidesj.com/herbs-botanicals/ancient-herbs-for-regulating-blood-sugar
https://sph.tulane.edu/?article=d3u4health-why-ben-napier-weight-loss-is-gaining
