diet and nutrition Flashcards
what are carbohydrates used for?
energy production, cell division, active transport and formation of molecules
where are carbohydrates stored?
carbohydrates are stored in the liver and muscle cells in the form of glycogen
what happens to the glycogen that carbohydrates are stored in?
the glycogen is then broken down into glucose, where it is a usable energy that provides the body with fuel for aerobic and anaerobic excercise
what is a simple carbohydrate, and what are examples?
they contain one or two sugars
1. fructose is found in fruits
2. lactose is found in milk
what is a monosaccharide?
a carbohydrate that contains one sugar
what are complex carbohydrates and what are examples?
they contain three or more sugars
1. beans
2. lentils
what is a polysaccharide?
a carbohydrate that contains three or more sugars
what is protein needed for?
essential for growth and repair of tissues and cells
what are proteins broken down into and what are they used for?
amino acids
the building blocks for muscle tissue, hemoglobin, collagen and enzymes
what is fat used for?
help the body to absorb certain vitamins. they can also be used for aerobic respiration
what are the two types of fats?
saturated
unsaturated (healthier form of fat e.g. nuts)
what are micronutrients used for?
help provide the building blocks for cell recognition
what do micronutrients consist of?
vitamins and minerals
why are minerals important?
-development of bones and teeth
-breakdown of food into usable forms of energy
-effective nerve transmissions
what are the two types of vitamins?
- fat soluble
- water soluble
what are fat soluble vitamins?
they can be stored in the body (eggs, veg oils)
vitamins A, D, E, K
what are water soluble vitamins?
cannot be stored in the body and so require regular intake (fruits and veg)
vitamins C, B
what is the importance of water?
helps with temperature regulation through perspiration and transportation of vitamins and minerals.
essential for transporting oxygen to working muscles and tissue
what is fibre used for?
aids with health and function of intestines, helps with the passage of foods through the intestines allowing for efficient absorption. also useful in regulating the levels of cholesterol in the blood and the prevention of obesity
what is the eatwell plate?
the eatwell plate outlines the relative percentages of each food category that will constitute a healthy balanced diet
how many calories do men need daily?
2,500 kcals
how many calories do women need daily?
1,900- 2000 kcals
what is the definition of basic metabolic rate?
the lowest rate of energy expenditure needed to sustain the body’s essential physiological functions
what is the definition of resting metabolic rate?
the lowest rate of energy expenditure needed to sustain the body’s essential physiological functions, NOT including sleep
what is the definition of energy expenditure?
the sum of basic metabolic rate, the thermic effect of food and the energy expended through physical activity
what is the definition of energy?
ability to perform work
what is the definition of physical activity energy expenditure?
total number of calories required to perform daily tasks
what is the metabolic equivalent value?
ratio of performers working metabolic rate to their resting metabolic rate
what is the thermic effect?
energy used in the process eating, absorbing and using foods
what is an energy balance?
refers to the difference between the total energy consumed in the daily diet and the total energy expenditure from your basal metabolic rate and any additional activities undertaken
what is the definition of ergogenic aids?
any substance or treatment that either directly improves physiological variables associated with exercise performance or removes subjective restraints that may limit physiological capacity
what is WADA?
world antidoping association
what are pharmacological aids?
taken to increase the levels of hormones or neural transmitters naturally produced in the body
what are the three examples of pharmacological aids, and what are there WADA status’?
anabolic steroids= illegal
erythropoietin= illegal
human growth hormone= illegal
what are anabolic steroids used for?
they mimic the effects of testosterone
what are the advantages of anabolic steroids?
- increased muscle mass
- increased speed of recovery
- increased intensity and duration of training
what are the disadvantages of anabolic steroids?
- irritability, aggression and mood swings
- liver damage and potential heart failure
- acne and hormonal disturbances
what athletes use anabolic steroids?
weightlifters and rugby players
what are EPO’s used for?
can be supplemented to increase red blood cell production
what are the advantages of taking EPO?
- increased red blood cell count and hemoglobin count
- increased oxygen transport and aerobic capacity
- increased intensity and duration of performance before fatigue
what are the disadvantages of EPO?
- increased blood viscosity
- decreased cardiac output
-increased risk of blood clots and heart failure - decreased natural production of EPO
what athletes use EPO?
endurance athletes
what is HGH used for?
synthetic drug mimicking the hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
what are the positives of taking HGH?
- increased muscle mass and strength
- increased blood glucose levels
- increased speed of recovery
- increased intensity and duration of training
what are the disadvantages of HGH?
- abnormal bone and muscle development
- enlargement of vital organs, leads to multi organ failure
- increased risk of certain cancers and diabetes
what athletes use HGH?
anaerobic athletes
e.g. sprinters
why are physiological aids taken?
to increase the rate and adaptation by the body to increase performance
what are the three types of physiological aids, and what are their WADA status?
- blood doping= illegal
- intermittent hypoxic training= legal#
- cooling aids= legal
what is blood doping?
when a volume of blood is removed from the athlete and the red blood cells are frozen around 4 weeks prior to the event. as a result the body naturally replenishes lost blood and 2 hours before an event, the extracted red blood cells are reinjected into the blood
what are the positives of blood doping?
- increased red blood cell count
- increased oxygen transportation and aerobic capacity
- increased intensity and duration of performance before fatigue
what are the negatives of blood doping?
- increased blood viscosity
- decreased cardiac output
- increased risk of blood clotting and heart failure
- risk of transmission reactions and infections (HIV)
what is intermittent hypoxic training?
when athletes live at sea level but train under hypoxic (low ppo2) conditions
what are the positives of intermittent hypoxic training?
- acclimatisation for events at altitude
- increased red blood cell, haemoglobin and oxygen carrying capacity
-increased intensity and duration before fatigue
what are the negatives of intermittent hypoxic training?
- any benefits quickly lost when IHT stops
- may disrupt training patterns
- dehydration
- decrease immune function
why are cooling aids used pre-event?
to reduce core body temperature in a bid to sustain intensity and speed whilst reducing thermal strain and the cardiovascular drift
why are cooling aids used post-event?
e.g. ice baths can be used to speed up recovery by reducing exercise induced muscle damage, which can cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels reducing blood flow
what are the positives of using cooling aids?
- reduced core body temperature
- decreased sweating, dehydration and early fatigue
- decreased injury pain and swelling
- increased speed of recovery and repair
what are the negatives of using cooling aids?
- ice burns
- hide or complicate injuries
- difficult to perceive exercise intensity
what are the examples of nutritional aids, and what are their WADA status?
- amount, composition and timings of meals= legal
- glycogen loading= legal
- hydration= legal
- caffeine= legal
- bicarbonate= legal
- nitrate= legal
- creatine= legal
what should endurance athletes do in relation to amount, composition and timings of meals pre-event?
meal 3-4 hours before an event, would eat slow digesting carb meals, 1-2 hours before event they would eat smaller, fast digesting carb meal to top up glycogen stores and maintain blood glucose levels
what should endurance athletes do in relation to amount, composition and timings of meals during event?
recommended for athletes that compete longer than an hour to consume regular small amount of fast digesting carbs to maintain blood glucose levels and top up glycogen stores
what should endurance athletes do in relation to amount, composition and timings of meals post event?
rapid post exercise recovery is aided by 1:1.5 kg of carbs per hour. should be consumed within 30 minutes of finishing event and repeated at 2 hour intervals for up to 6 hours post exercise
what should strength trainers do in relation to amount, composition, and timings of meals overall?
- 5-6 meals per day every few hours
- up to 30% lean protein to enhance muscle building and repair
- complex carbs to release energy slowly, control blood sugar levels and minimise the storage of fat
what should strength trainers do in relation to amount, composition, and timings of meals pre training?
30-60 min before, small meat eaten with equal quantities of fast digesting carbs and proteins
what should strength trainers do in relation to amount, composition and timings of meals post event?
within two hours of finishing training a meal consisting of fast digesting carbs and proteins to replace lost glycogen and satisfy for higher need for protein to boost protein synthesis and muscle and strength gains
what are the four phases of glycogen/carb loading?
1st phase- day one: glycogen, depleting bout of endurance exercise
2nd phase- day two and three: high fat/ high protein diet
3rd phase- day four: glycogen, depleting bout of endurance exercise
4th phase- day five to seven: high carb diet, whilst training is reduced
what are the positives of glycogen/ carb loading?
- increased glycogen stores
- increased endurance capacity
- delays fatigue
- increased time to exhaustion by up to 30%
what are the negatives of glycogen/ carb loading?
- poor recovery rates in the depletion phase
- affects mental preparation pre competition
- increased risk of injury
- lethargy and irritability in depletion phase
losing 2% of body weight through sweat can cause up to 20% decrease in performance due to?
- decreased heart regulation and increased temperature
- increased heart rate
- increased fatigue
- increased blood viscosity
- decreased cognitive function and skill level
what are the three solutions that can be taken to re hydrate athletes?
- hypotonic solutions
- isotonic solutions
- hypertonic solutions
what are hypotonic solutions, and what athletes use them?
drinks that contain lower concentrations of glucose
-used by athletes that need hydration without energy e.g. gymnasts
what are isotonic solutions, and what athletes use them?
drinks that contain equal concentrations of glucose and in the blood stream
-used by middle-long distance runners and games players
what are hypertonic solutions, and what athletes use them?
drinks that contain higher amounts of glucose than the blood stream
-used by ultra-distance athletes but should be used with isotonic solutions to replace fluid
where is creatine stored in the body?
stored in the muscle tissues as phosphocreatine and used to fuel very high intensity energy production
what are the positives of creatine supplementation?
- increased PC stores
- increased fuel for very high intensity energy production
- increased intensity and duration of training
what are the negatives of creatine supplementation?
- increased weight gain
- muscle cramps
- gastrointestinal problems
what are the positives of taking caffeine?
- increased nervous stimulation
- increased focus and concentration
- preservation of muscle glycogen
increased endurance performance
what are the negatives of taking caffeine?
- diuretic effect, leading to dehydration
- anxiety
- gastrointestinal problems
why do athletes take bicarbonate?
helps prevent excessive rise in acidity in the blood stream during exercise
what are the positives of taking bicarbonate?
- increased buffering capacity
- increased tolerance to lactic acid, delaying OBLA
- increased intensity and duration of performance
what are the negatives of taking bicarbonate?
- possible gastrointestinal problems
- unpleasant taste causing nausea
what athletes take bicarbonate?
anaerobic athletes, that produce high levels of lactic acid
what type of athletes take nitrate and how does it benefit them?
endurance runners, as it helps dilate blood vessels
when do athletes begin taking nitrate?
5-6 days before performance
what are the positives of taking nitrate?
- reduced blood pressure
- increased blood flow
- increased intensity of performance
- delays fatigue
what are the negatives of taking nitrate?
- headaches, dizziness
- long term effects on health unclear
- possible cancer risk
