Sports Nutrition Principles Flashcards

A strength athlete following a ketogenic diet (<50g carbs/day) for 8 weeks is MOST likely to observe which performance outcome during maximal efforts?

Answer: Decreased peak power output during high-intensity anaerobic efforts

The ATP-PCr and glycolytic pathways depend on carbohydrate; severe restriction impairs the ability to sustain maximal or supramaximal intensities.

What is the concept of 'train low, compete high' in sports nutrition?

Answer: Periodically training with low carbohydrate availability to enhance fat oxidative adaptations, then fueling fully for competition

'Train low, compete high' refers to intentionally training in a glycogen-depleted state to stimulate fat oxidative adaptations, while ensuring full carbohydrate availability for competition performance.

Which ergogenic aid is classified as a stimulant and has the strongest evidence for improving endurance performance through adenosine receptor antagonism?

Answer: Caffeine

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, reducing perceived exertion and fatigue, with strong evidence for improving endurance time-to-exhaustion and time-trial performance.

An athlete's 24-hour urine osmolality is 900 mOsm/kg. This value MOST likely indicates:

Answer: Significant dehydration requiring increased fluid intake

Urine osmolality above 900 mOsm/kg indicates concentrated urine consistent with dehydration; well-hydrated athletes typically show values below 700 mOsm/kg.

Dietary nitrates found in beetroot juice enhance exercise performance primarily through which mechanism?

Answer: Conversion to nitric oxide, improving mitochondrial efficiency and vasodilation

Dietary nitrate is reduced to nitric oxide, which enhances blood flow to working muscles and reduces the oxygen cost of exercise through improved mitochondrial coupling.

Which protein source has the highest leucine content per serving, making it most effective for stimulating muscle protein synthesis (MPS)?

Answer: Whey protein concentrate

Whey protein has the highest leucine content (~10–11%) among common protein sources, and leucine is the primary amino acid trigger for mTOR-mediated MPS.

A CCSP practitioner treating a 16-year-old swimmer recommends a sports nutrition plan. Which supplementation approach is MOST appropriate at this age?

Answer: Prioritizing food-first strategies with supplementation only if dietary analysis confirms deficiencies

For adolescent athletes, evidence-based guidelines recommend food-first approaches and reserve supplementation for documented deficiencies after dietary assessment.