CIC Nutrition & Hydration for Athletes 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A football lineman weighing 250 lbs wants to estimate his daily protein needs for muscle maintenance. Using 0.7 g/lb as a guideline, his daily target is approximately:
- 125 g
- 175 g (Correct answer)
- 250 g
- 350 g
Correct answer: 175 g
0.7 g/lb × 250 lbs = 175 g of protein per day, a reasonable target for a large strength-sport athlete during in-season training.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT a sign of heat exhaustion related to inadequate hydration?
- Heavy sweating
- Pale, clammy skin
- Rapid, strong pulse with dry skin (Correct answer)
- Nausea and dizziness
Correct answer: Rapid, strong pulse with dry skin
A rapid, strong pulse with dry, hot skin is characteristic of heat stroke — a medical emergency — not heat exhaustion, which features heavy sweating.
Question 3: During a multi-day tournament, the most overlooked nutritional factor leading to declining performance by day two is often:
- Too much protein
- Incomplete glycogen restoration between games (Correct answer)
- Excessive vitamin supplementation
- Eating too many fruits
Correct answer: Incomplete glycogen restoration between games
Without aggressive carbohydrate refueling between games, muscle glycogen stores progressively deplete, causing significant fatigue by the second day.
Question 4: A swim coach wants to help athletes reduce body fat without impairing training. The safest approach is to:
- Cut calories by 1,000 per day immediately
- Eliminate all dietary fat
- Create a modest caloric deficit of 200–300 kcal/day (Correct answer)
- Fast on non-training days
Correct answer: Create a modest caloric deficit of 200–300 kcal/day
A modest deficit of 200–300 kcal/day allows gradual fat loss while preserving muscle mass, energy for training, and hormonal function.
Question 5: Which of the following statements about energy drinks is accurate for interscholastic athletes?
- Energy drinks are recommended by NATA as a sports hydration tool
- Energy drinks are equivalent to sports drinks for rehydration
- Energy drinks contain stimulants that can cause cardiac events and are not appropriate hydration sources (Correct answer)
- Energy drinks improve reaction time with no health risks
Correct answer: Energy drinks contain stimulants that can cause cardiac events and are not appropriate hydration sources
Energy drinks contain high doses of caffeine and other stimulants that have been linked to cardiac arrhythmias and are not appropriate substitutes for water or sports drinks.
Question 6: Zinc is a micronutrient important for athletes because it:
- Directly increases aerobic capacity
- Supports immune function and tissue repair (Correct answer)
- Is the primary component of hemoglobin
- Regulates insulin secretion
Correct answer: Supports immune function and tissue repair
Zinc plays key roles in immune response, wound healing, and protein synthesis, all of which are elevated demands in training athletes.
Question 7: A volleyball coach should encourage athletes to drink fluids during practice primarily based on:
- A fixed schedule regardless of conditions
- Thirst alone
- Body weight changes, sweat rate, and environmental conditions (Correct answer)
- Only after visible signs of dehydration appear
Correct answer: Body weight changes, sweat rate, and environmental conditions
Individualized hydration planning based on sweat rate, body weight changes, and environmental heat stress is more effective than fixed schedules or waiting for thirst.
CIC Nutrition & Hydration for Athletes 5
A football lineman weighing 250 lbs wants to estimate his daily protein needs for muscle maintenance.
Using 0.7 g/lb as a guideline, his daily target is approximately: