Sports & Exercise Physiology Flashcards

The lactate threshold is best defined as the point at which what occurs?

Answer: Blood lactate begins to rise sharply above resting levels

Lactate threshold is the intensity at which blood lactate accumulates faster than it is cleared.

Which hormone's concentration typically rises during prolonged exercise to maintain blood glucose?

Answer: Glucagon

Glucagon rises and insulin falls during prolonged exercise, promoting hepatic glucose output.

Exercise increases muscle glucose uptake independently of insulin mainly by what mechanism?

Answer: Translocation of GLUT4 transporters to the cell membrane

Muscle contraction triggers GLUT4 translocation through insulin-independent pathways such as AMPK.

Which signaling pathway is most closely linked to muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise?

Answer: mTORC1

Resistance exercise and leucine activate mTORC1, a central regulator of muscle protein synthesis.

PGC-1alpha is best known as a master regulator of what adaptation?

Answer: Mitochondrial biogenesis

PGC-1alpha drives mitochondrial biogenesis, a key adaptation to endurance training.

Detraining for several weeks most rapidly reduces which endurance-related variable?

Answer: Plasma volume and VO2max

Plasma volume and VO2max decline relatively quickly, within weeks of stopping endurance training.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) results primarily from what?

Answer: Low energy availability relative to exercise energy expenditure

RED-S arises from chronically low energy availability, impairing metabolism, hormones, bone, and performance.