Diet and Nutrients Flashcards
How is energy made available from carbs?
- They are broken down into glucose, which enters the blood
- Glucose is required for respiration
- Glucose + Oxygen -> Carbon dioxide + water + energy
What are fats and what do they do?
- An additional source of energy that can spare glycogen store
- Help carry and store fat-soluble vitamins
What are some disadvantages of too much fats?
- Heart/vascular disease
- Weight gain
- Decreased flexibility
What are the two types of fat and where are they found?
Saturated fat - Found in butter and cheese
Unsaturated - Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
What do lipo-proteins do?
- Remove excess cholesterol by transporting it to the liver
- Protect the artery walls against cholesterol
- Help protect blood cells
- Reduce the risk of heart disease
What does fibre do?
- Acts as a bulking agent
- Prevents constipation
- Reduces cholesterol levels
- Controls blood glucose levels for people with diabetes
What do vitamin C, D, B-12, and B-Complex do?
C - Supports the body’s immune system
D - Supports the absorption of calcium
B-12 - Supports energy release during exercise
B-Complex - Helps break down carbs and transports nutrients through the body
What do the minerals sodium, iron, and calcium do?
Sodium - Helps regulate body fluid levels
Iron - Component of haemoglobin
Calcium - Build and maintain strong bones
What are the consequences of dehydration during exercise?
- Blood thickness
- Muscle cramps
- Slows reaction time
What do electrolytes do?
They are responsible for the electrical transmission of the nerve impulse that stimulates muscular contraction
What are the effects of a loss of electrolytes?
- Muscle fatigue
- Muscle cramps
- Slows reaction time
What are reasons for taking creatine?
- Fast energy source to help with short, powerful movements
- Boosts the amount stored in the muscles, allowing the ATP-PC system to last longer
- Increases muscle mass
What are some potential side effects of creatine supplements?
- Expensive
- Mixed evidence
- Detrimental towards aerobic endurance due to increased body mass
- Muscle fatigue, bloating, nausea
What are positives of caffeine?
- Increased alertness to improve reaction time
- Shown prolonged aerobic exercise by increasing the use of fats which delays the use of glycogen stores
What are the negatives of caffeine?
- Effects upon high intensity exercise are unclear
- Can cause insomnia, dehydration, muscle cramps
What are positives and negatives of sodium bicarbonate?
+ Soda loading delays onset of fatigue by neutralising lactic acid, as it is an alkaline
+ By buffering the lactate, anaerobic energy can be used longer (1-7 min exercise)
- Vomiting, pain, cramping, diarrhoea and feeling bloated
What is the main objective of glycogen loading?
Increased storage of muscle glycogen (supercompensation)
What are the 3 methods of glycogen loading?
- Carbohydrate depletion method
- Intense training method
- Non-carb depletion method
What are the main principles behind the carb depletion method of glycogen loading?
- Reduce glyogen levels through tapered endurance training with a low carb diet for 3 days
- A few days before competition, consume a pure water and carb diet while resting
What are the main principles behind the intense training method of glycogen loading?
- Involves 3 mins of intense exercise a day before before competition to open carbo window
- Followed by comsuming large quantities of carbs within 20 mins and increased water intake to stimulate higher glycogen storage
What are the main principles behind the non-carb depletion method of glycogen loading?
- Reduce training intensity week before competition
- 3 days before, consume high carb diet and continue with light intensity training
- Increase water intake to aid glycogen loading
What are the benefits of glycogen loading for aerobic events?
- Maintains levels of glycogen for energy production longer
- Increased aerobic capacity means a performer can maintain a consisent pace for longer
- Delays the effects of fatigue for longer
What are the issues of glycogen loading?
- Depletion phase can cause you to feel lethargic
- Increased water intake causes weight gain which may slow a performer and cause a bloated feeling
