Nutrition & Performance Enhancement Flashcards
6 cards from real CSCS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Nutrition & Performance Enhancement flashcards as text
What is the recommended daily protein intake for strength-trained athletes to maximize muscle protein synthesis per NSCA guidelines?
Answer: 1.4-1.7 g/kg/day
NSCA recommends 1.4-1.7 g/kg/day for strength-trained athletes to support muscle protein synthesis, recovery, and lean mass maintenance. The standard RDA of 0.8 g/kg/day is insufficient for athletes under heavy training loads.
Which macronutrient is the most critical fuel source for high-intensity exercise above 70% of VO2max?
Answer: Carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose)
Carbohydrate (muscle glycogen and blood glucose) is the predominant fuel above approximately 70% VO2max because fat oxidation cannot sustain ATP production at the required rate at high exercise intensities.
For exercise sessions lasting 60-90 minutes at moderate-to-high intensity, what is the NSCA-recommended intra-workout carbohydrate intake?
Answer: 30-60 g of carbohydrate per hour of exercise
NSCA and ACSM recommend 30-60 g of carbohydrate per hour for sessions lasting 60-90 or more minutes at moderate-to-high intensity to maintain blood glucose, spare glycogen, and delay fatigue.
Which ergogenic aid has the strongest evidence base for improving high-intensity short-duration exercise performance per NSCA guidelines?
Answer: Creatine monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate has the most robust evidence base for enhancing high-intensity, short-duration performance by increasing intramuscular PCr stores, enabling greater work in 6-30 second activities and supporting greater training volume.
Post-exercise carbohydrate consumption is most critical within which time window to maximize glycogen resynthesis rates?
Answer: Within 30-45 minutes post-exercise
Glycogen synthase activity is highest immediately post-exercise. Consuming 1.0-1.5 g/kg of high-glycemic carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes maximizes glycogen resynthesis rate and supports recovery for subsequent training sessions.
Exercise-associated hyponatremia in endurance athletes is most commonly caused by which mechanism?
Answer: Overhydration with plain water, diluting serum sodium below 135 mEq/L
Exercise-associated hyponatremia results primarily from overhydration with hypotonic fluids (plain water), diluting serum sodium. Sodium loss through sweat plays a secondary role; the primary cause is excessive fluid intake beyond actual sweat losses.