CSSD Competition Nutrition 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A high school cross-country runner asks about iron supplementation before a championship race. What is the most evidence-based recommendation?
- Supplement with 100 mg elemental iron for 1 week before the race to acutely improve performance
- Assess iron status via serum ferritin and hemoglobin before recommending supplementation (Correct answer)
- All distance runners should routinely supplement with iron regardless of status
- Avoid iron entirely since it can cause GI distress on race day
Correct answer: Assess iron status via serum ferritin and hemoglobin before recommending supplementation
Iron supplementation is only warranted when deficiency is confirmed via lab values; routine supplementation without assessment is not recommended and may be harmful.
Question 2: Which pre-competition glycogen loading strategy is best supported by evidence for a 3-hour endurance event?
- 3-day fat adaptation phase followed by 1 day of high carbohydrate intake
- Taper training and consume 10–12 g/kg/day of carbohydrate for 24–48 hours before competition (Correct answer)
- Normal diet until competition day, then a large carbohydrate meal 1 hour before
- High carbohydrate diet for 7 consecutive days without training taper
Correct answer: Taper training and consume 10–12 g/kg/day of carbohydrate for 24–48 hours before competition
Combining a training taper with 10–12 g/kg/day carbohydrate for 24–48 hours before an endurance event maximizes muscle glycogen supercompensation.
Question 3: During a high-altitude competition (>2,000 m), an athlete's carbohydrate needs are altered primarily because of what physiological change?
- Altitude suppresses insulin sensitivity, reducing carbohydrate uptake
- Increased reliance on carbohydrate oxidation as the primary fuel due to reduced oxygen availability (Correct answer)
- Fat oxidation increases dramatically, reducing carbohydrate demand
- Altitude has no significant effect on substrate utilization
Correct answer: Increased reliance on carbohydrate oxidation as the primary fuel due to reduced oxygen availability
At altitude, reduced partial pressure of oxygen shifts substrate use toward carbohydrate oxidation, increasing carbohydrate demand relative to sea-level competition.
Question 4: A CSSD is advising a combat sport athlete on rapid weight regain after weigh-in. What is the optimal sequence?
- Begin with protein shakes, then add fat, and finish with carbohydrates
- Rehydrate with sodium-containing fluids first, then consume carbohydrate-protein meals (Correct answer)
- Consume large high-fat meals immediately to restore energy reserves
- Avoid fluid intake for 2 hours post-weigh-in to prevent GI distress
Correct answer: Rehydrate with sodium-containing fluids first, then consume carbohydrate-protein meals
Rehydration with sodium-containing fluids takes priority to restore plasma volume, followed by carbohydrate and protein meals to restore glycogen and support muscle function.
Question 5: For an athlete competing in back-to-back days of a swimming meet, the most critical overnight recovery nutrition priority is which of the following?
- High-fat meal to promote ketone production overnight
- Adequate total carbohydrate and protein intake to restore glycogen and support muscle protein synthesis (Correct answer)
- Protein-only dinner to maximize overnight muscle repair
- Caloric restriction to maintain weight class for the next day
Correct answer: Adequate total carbohydrate and protein intake to restore glycogen and support muscle protein synthesis
Overnight recovery requires sufficient carbohydrate to restore glycogen and protein to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, supporting next-day competition readiness.
Question 6: What is the primary concern with using very high-dose antioxidant supplements (vitamin C and E) during a competition season?
- They increase muscle glycogen depletion rate
- They may blunt the adaptive training response by reducing exercise-induced reactive oxygen species signaling (Correct answer)
- They directly increase GI distress on competition day
- They interfere with caffeine's ergogenic effects
Correct answer: They may blunt the adaptive training response by reducing exercise-induced reactive oxygen species signaling
High-dose antioxidant supplementation may attenuate beneficial ROS-mediated signaling pathways that drive training adaptations in mitochondria and antioxidant enzymes.
Question 7: An athlete competing at noon should consume a pre-competition meal at what time, and with what approximate carbohydrate content for a 70 kg athlete?
- 11:30 AM, 20–30 g carbohydrate
- 9:00–10:00 AM, 210–280 g carbohydrate (3–4 g/kg) (Correct answer)
- 11:00 AM, 100 g carbohydrate regardless of body weight
- 8:00 AM, 500 g carbohydrate to maximize glycogen
Correct answer: 9:00–10:00 AM, 210–280 g carbohydrate (3–4 g/kg)
A pre-competition meal 2–3 hours before event should provide 3–4 g/kg of carbohydrate; for a 70 kg athlete that equals 210–280 g consumed around 9–10 AM for a noon start.
CSSD Competition Nutrition 5
A high school cross-country runner asks about iron supplementation before a championship race.
What is the most evidence-based recommendation?