NSCA CSCS Performance-Enhancing Nutrition 2

Question 1

Which form of creatine supplementation has the strongest evidence base for improving high-intensity exercise performance?

Accepted Answer

Creatine monohydrate

Answer

Creatine monohydrate has the most robust evidence supporting performance improvements and remains the gold standard form.

Question 2

Beta-alanine supplementation improves performance primarily by increasing muscle concentrations of which compound?

Accepted Answer

Carnosine

Answer

Beta-alanine is a rate-limiting precursor to carnosine, a dipeptide that buffers H+ ions in muscle during high-intensity exercise.

Question 3

The NSCA recommends that athletes requiring rapid weight loss for competition consume no less than what percentage of total calories from carbohydrate?

Accepted Answer

45%

Answer

Maintaining at least 45% of calories from carbohydrate helps preserve glycogen stores and performance even during caloric restriction.

Question 4

Which amino acid is considered conditionally essential during periods of intense training stress and is the primary fuel source for enterocytes?

Accepted Answer

Glutamine

Answer

Glutamine becomes conditionally essential during high-stress training periods and is the preferred oxidative fuel for intestinal cells.

Question 5

An athlete consumes 70 g of carbohydrate and 20 g of protein immediately post-exercise. According to NSCA guidelines, this timing strategy primarily optimizes which physiological process?

Accepted Answer

Muscle protein synthesis and glycogen resynthesis simultaneously

Answer

Co-ingesting carbohydrate and protein post-exercise simultaneously stimulates glycogen resynthesis and muscle protein synthesis more effectively than either alone.

NSCA CSCS - NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Practice Test

NSCA CSCS - NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Practice Test

NSCA CSCS Performance-Enhancing Nutrition 2