ATC Nutrition 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A vegetarian athlete is concerned about protein quality. Which plant-based combination provides all essential amino acids?
- Corn and wheat
- Rice and beans (Correct answer)
- Oats and nuts
- Spinach and broccoli
Correct answer: Rice and beans
Rice and beans together form a complementary protein pair that provides all essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source.
Question 2: An athlete's pre-competition meal should be consumed how long before the event to optimize gastric emptying?
- 30–60 minutes before
- 1–2 hours before
- 3–4 hours before (Correct answer)
- 6–8 hours before
Correct answer: 3–4 hours before
A pre-competition meal consumed 3–4 hours before allows adequate time for digestion and gastric emptying while maintaining glycogen stores.
Question 3: Which condition results from an athlete consuming too much plain water without adequate electrolytes during prolonged exercise?
- Hypernatremia
- Hyponatremia (Correct answer)
- Dehydration
- Heat exhaustion
Correct answer: Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia (low serum sodium) occurs when athletes over-consume plain water, diluting blood sodium levels, and is potentially fatal.
Question 4: What is the primary role of antioxidants such as vitamins C and E for athletes?
- Enhance glycogen storage
- Neutralize exercise-induced free radicals (Correct answer)
- Stimulate protein synthesis
- Increase oxygen carrying capacity
Correct answer: Neutralize exercise-induced free radicals
Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that neutralize reactive oxygen species (free radicals) generated during intense exercise.
Question 5: An athlete with lactose intolerance needs adequate calcium. Which non-dairy food is the BEST calcium source?
- Chicken breast
- Fortified orange juice (Correct answer)
- Brown rice
- Olive oil
Correct answer: Fortified orange juice
Calcium-fortified orange juice provides a substantial amount of calcium and is well absorbed, making it an excellent dairy-free source.
Question 6: Which supplement has the MOST evidence supporting improved high-intensity, short-duration exercise performance?
- Glutamine
- Creatine monohydrate (Correct answer)
- Arginine
- Ribose
Correct answer: Creatine monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate has the strongest evidence base for enhancing phosphocreatine resynthesis and improving power output in high-intensity activities.
Question 7: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) affects which populations?
- Only female athletes
- Only endurance athletes
- Both male and female athletes across all sports (Correct answer)
- Only adolescent athletes
Correct answer: Both male and female athletes across all sports
RED-S affects both male and female athletes across all sport types; it is the broader evolution of the Female Athlete Triad concept.
ATC Nutrition 4
A vegetarian athlete is concerned about protein quality.
Which plant-based combination provides all essential amino acids?