Nutritional Strategies & Supplementation Flashcards

A 70 kg cyclist wants to use caffeine before a time trial. Which dose and timing best match current evidence?

Answer: 210-420 mg taken about 60 minutes before the start

Ergogenic caffeine doses are about 3-6 mg/kg, usually taken around 60 minutes before exercise, which for 70 kg is 210-420 mg.

Which creatine protocol raises muscle creatine stores fastest?

Answer: About 20 g/day in 4 divided doses for 5-7 days

A loading phase of about 0.3 g/kg/day (~20 g/day) in divided doses saturates muscle creatine in 5-7 days.

An athlete reports tingling skin shortly after taking a supplement. Which supplement most likely caused it?

Answer: Beta-alanine

Paresthesia is a known, harmless side effect of beta-alanine, especially with large single doses.

What is the main drawback athletes report when using sodium bicarbonate at 0.3 g/kg?

Answer: Gastrointestinal distress

Bicarbonate's buffering benefit is often limited by GI upset, which can be reduced by split doses or taking it with a carbohydrate meal.

An athlete using beetroot juice for nitrate supplementation also uses an antibacterial mouthwash daily. What is the likely effect?

Answer: Reduced conversion of nitrate to nitrite, blunting the benefit

Oral bacteria convert dietary nitrate to nitrite, so antibacterial mouthwash can blunt the rise in nitric oxide.

For a marathon lasting over 90 minutes, what carbohydrate intake is recommended during the 36-48 hours of carbohydrate loading?

Answer: 10-12 g/kg/day

Carbohydrate loading for events over 90 minutes uses about 10-12 g/kg/day for 36-48 hours to maximize glycogen stores.

How long does beta-alanine supplementation at 4-6 g/day usually take to meaningfully raise muscle carnosine?

Answer: About 2-4 weeks

Beta-alanine works through chronic loading, and carnosine rises meaningfully over at least 2-4 weeks of daily use.