Nutrition and Supplementation for Sport Performance Flashcards

Beta-alanine supplementation improves performance primarily by increasing muscle concentrations of which compound?

Answer: Carnosine

Beta-alanine is a rate-limiting precursor to carnosine, which buffers intramuscular hydrogen ions during high-intensity exercise.

Which dietary strategy is most effective for maximizing muscle glycogen stores before a competition?

Answer: Carbohydrate loading with 8–12 g/kg/day for 1–3 days

Carbohydrate loading at 8–12 g/kg/day for 1–3 days before competition supersaturates muscle glycogen stores, delaying fatigue in endurance events.

Hyponatremia in endurance athletes is most commonly caused by:

Answer: Overdrinking hypotonic fluids, diluting serum sodium

Overdrinking plain water or low-sodium fluids during prolonged events dilutes serum sodium below normal levels, causing exercise-associated hyponatremia.

What is the primary mechanism by which caffeine enhances endurance performance?

Answer: Antagonizing adenosine receptors to reduce perceived exertion and fatigue

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the central nervous system, reducing perceived fatigue and exertion, thereby improving endurance capacity.

Which statement best describes periodized nutrition in the context of sport science?

Answer: Nutritional intake is deliberately varied to align with the training phase, load, and competition schedule

Periodized nutrition strategically adjusts energy and macronutrient intake to match training phase demands, optimizing both adaptation and performance.

Iron deficiency anemia in athletes most significantly impairs performance by:

Answer: Decreasing oxygen transport capacity and aerobic power output

Iron is essential for hemoglobin synthesis; deficiency reduces red blood cell oxygen-carrying capacity, directly limiting aerobic performance and VO2max.