CSCS Nutrition for Sport Performance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Creatine supplementation is MOST effective for improving performance in which type of activity?
- Marathon running (42 km)
- Steady-state aerobic cycling at 60% VO2max
- Static flexibility training
- Repeated high-intensity bouts with short recovery periods (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Repeated high-intensity bouts with short recovery periods
Creatine enhances phosphocreatine resynthesis, improving repeated high-intensity, short-duration performance such as sprints, heavy lifts, and interval sports.
Question 2: Which ergogenic aid has the MOST consistent scientific evidence supporting performance enhancement across a wide range of sports?
- Glutamine
- Creatine monohydrate (Correct answer)
- Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)
- HMB (β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate)
Correct answer: Creatine monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate has the largest and most consistent evidence base of any legal ergogenic supplement, improving power, strength, and high-intensity exercise capacity.
Question 3: Caffeine enhances athletic performance primarily through which physiological mechanism?
- Increasing muscle glycogen storage
- Stimulating muscle protein synthesis post-exercise
- Blocking adenosine receptors in the central nervous system (Correct answer)
- Elevating blood bicarbonate concentration
Correct answer: Blocking adenosine receptors in the central nervous system
Caffeine primarily blocks adenosine receptors in the central nervous system, reducing perceived exertion and delaying the onset of fatigue.
Question 4: Iron deficiency anemia would most adversely affect which aspect of athletic performance?
- Peak anaerobic power output
- Maximal strength production
- Aerobic endurance capacity (Correct answer)
- Reaction time and coordination
Correct answer: Aerobic endurance capacity
Iron is a component of hemoglobin; iron deficiency reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, most severely impairing aerobic endurance performance.
Question 5: "Low energy availability" in athletes is BEST described as:
- Not consuming enough dietary fat for hormonal function
- Inadequate protein intake relative to training volume
- Consuming too many simple carbohydrates pre-exercise
- Energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure leaving insufficient energy for physiological functions (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure leaving insufficient energy for physiological functions
Low energy availability is defined as dietary energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure, with the remainder being insufficient to support normal physiological processes such as hormone production and bone remodeling.
Question 6: Beta-alanine supplementation improves high-intensity exercise performance primarily by:
- Increasing phosphocreatine stores in muscle
- Stimulating muscle protein synthesis via mTOR
- Increasing muscle carnosine concentration to buffer hydrogen ions (Correct answer)
- Raising blood bicarbonate concentration
Correct answer: Increasing muscle carnosine concentration to buffer hydrogen ions
Beta-alanine is a rate-limiting precursor to carnosine; elevated muscle carnosine acts as an intracellular buffer against hydrogen ion accumulation during high-intensity exercise, delaying acidosis-related fatigue.
Question 7: The recommended daily protein intake for strength and power athletes, according to the NSCA and ACSM, is approximately:
- 0.8 g/kg/day (same as sedentary individuals)
- 2.5–3.0 g/kg/day
- 0.5–1.0 g/kg/day
- 1.4–1.7 g/kg/day (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 1.4–1.7 g/kg/day
The NSCA and ACSM recommend 1.4–1.7 g/kg/day of protein for strength and power athletes to support muscle protein synthesis, repair, and hypertrophic adaptation.
CSCS Nutrition for Sport Performance 2
Creatine supplementation is MOST effective for improving performance in which type of activity?