Nutrition and Supplementation for Sport Performance Flashcards

What does 'energy availability' refer to in the context of athlete nutrition?

Answer: Dietary energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure, relative to fat-free mass

Energy availability = (dietary energy intake − exercise energy expenditure) / fat-free mass, and low energy availability impairs hormonal, metabolic, and bone health.

Which supplement has been shown in research to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and inflammatory markers after eccentric exercise?

Answer: Tart cherry juice

Tart cherry juice contains anthocyanins with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to attenuate DOMS and accelerate recovery.

What is the optimal timing for consuming protein to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis after resistance training?

Answer: Within 0–2 hours post-exercise

Consuming 20–40 g of high-quality protein within the first 0–2 hours post-exercise maximizes the anabolic response when muscle protein synthesis is most elevated.

Sodium bicarbonate is used as an ergogenic aid because it:

Answer: Acts as an extracellular buffer to delay metabolic acidosis during high-intensity exercise

Sodium bicarbonate raises extracellular pH, enhancing the efflux of hydrogen ions from working muscle and thereby delaying fatigue in high-intensity events.

For an athlete performing two-a-day training sessions, which nutritional strategy is MOST important between sessions?

Answer: Rapid carbohydrate and protein co-ingestion to accelerate glycogen resynthesis and recovery

Between two-a-day sessions, prioritizing carbohydrate intake (1.2 g/kg/hr) alongside protein accelerates glycogen resynthesis and initiates muscle repair within the short recovery window.

Which factor most significantly determines daily total energy expenditure (TEE) in athletes?

Answer: Exercise energy expenditure (EEE)

In highly active athletes, exercise energy expenditure can dwarf other TEE components, making it the dominant driver of total daily caloric needs.