Whilst it is a personal decision to fast, diabetics are exempt from fasting as it can harm the body especially when taking insulin or other certain medication. If the diabetes is poorly managed, it could cause damage to feet, eyes and kidneys.

It is normal for a person to feel hungry, thirsty and lethargic whilst fasting, however this is often exaggerated with those who live with diabetes. During a fast, around 8 hours after eating a meal, the body will store energy to keep the blood sugar levels normal and for most, this is not harmful.

There are other factors detailed below which could cause potential risk:

• If the person already has complications due to diabetes such as poor vision, heart or kidney disease, fasting will only worsen these so it’s recommended to consider not fasting
• For diabetics taking certain medications and/or insulin, the risk of having a hypoglycaemic or ‘hypo’ attack is possible. If the person experiences hypoglycaemia (click here to read more on this), the fast must be broken by taking sugary fluids followed by starchy food as this could cause further harm.
• As a fast can last as long as 17 hours, the risk of dehydration is increased and can cause further damage. 
• The person may experience high blood glucose levels during a fast if they don’t take their prescribed medication. If they are less physically active than normal, this could lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (click here to read more on this) which will require urgent hospital treatment.