Scientific Foundations: Nutrition

Question 1

The consumption of these can lead to a change in urine color (pg. 197).

Answer 1

Beets, blackberries, certain food coloring, B vitamins, carotenoids (like beta carotene), and some medications.

Question 2

How much of dietary calories should come from saturated fats?

Answer 2

Less than 10%

Question 3

What Glycemic Index (GI) range is considered Low? Medium? High?

Answer 3

Low: 55 or less; Medium: 55-69; High: 70 or more

Question 4

What is the primary purpose of “Stacking” when athletes are using anabolic steroids?

Answer 4

To amplify the potency of other drugs. Whether this actually works or not is not fully known.

Question 5

What should the macros on a pre-competition meal look like in general?

Answer 5

low fat, medium protein, high carb

Question 6

What is Glycemic Load (GL)? How is it calculated? How is it compared to Glycemic Index (GI) in it’s realistic application?

Answer 6

Glycemic Load (GL) takes the amount (portion) of carbs in a food to estimate glycemic response; GL = [GI x (g of carbs)] / 100 ; It is more realistic because it takes into account the amount of carbs eaten.

Question 7

What is Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)? How is it typically prescribed and is it effective for this purpose? What other uses does it have?

Answer 7

HCG Is a hormone taken from the placenta of pregnant women and is closely related to luteinizing hormone; Can be prescribed for women on a medically supervised weight loss program but is not very effective at this according to research; Also has been shown to increase testicular testosterone production in men.

Question 8

What factors elevate the risk of dehydration? (5 items)

Answer 8

training at altitude; less experienced athletes; children and elderly; hot and/or humid environments; those with sickle cell trait, cystic fibrosis, and even other diseases.

Question 9

How much % of weight loss due to dehydration can cause a decrease in athletic performance? What are the effects (performance, cardiac, and risk of harm)? (15 items)

Answer 9

2-3%; increase in core temperature, increase in fatigue, decrease in motivation, neuromuscular control, accuracy, power, strength, muscular endurance, reduce stroke volume, cardiac output, decrease blood pressure, reduce blood flow to muscles, increase heartbeat, exacerbate symptomatic exertional rhabdomyolysis, and increase heat stroke and death.

Question 10

What are the essential functions of water? (3 items) [pg. 196]

Answer 10

Thermoregulation, nutrient transport, and waste removal.

Question 11

In the MyPlate recommendations, how many cups of dark green veggies are recommended for an adult female and men over 51? What about men 19-50?

Answer 11

1.5 cups; 2 cups

Question 12

What is the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for fiber for men? What about women? What are good sources of fiber? (6 items)

Answer 12

Men: 30-38; Women: 20-29; Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grain products.

Question 13

What 3 elements can be found in all 3 macronutrients? What element is only found in protein? What does “Amino” mean? (Pg. 182, 184, & 188)

Answer 13

All: Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen.
Protein: Nitrogen.
Amino means “nitrogen-containing”

Question 14

1: What is the term for when glucose is not immediately used for energy but rather converted into glycogen to be stored in the muscles and liver? 2: How much of the body’s glycogen is stored in the muscle vs the liver? 3: Where is glycogen more concentrated (muscle or liver)? (Pg. 184)

Answer 14

1: Glycogenesis
2: 3/4 in muscle and 1/4 in liver
3: It is more concentrated in the liver

Question 15

What 3 factors make an athlete more likely to have an iron deficiency (Sex; Exercise/Sport type; Diet)? Recent research has pointed out that over what percent of these athletes have iron deficiencies? (pg. 194)

Answer 15

1: Female (loses iron through menstruation); Aerobic endurance athletes; Vegetarian Diet.
2: more than 25% of female aerobic endurance athletes were iron-deficient

Question 16

According to MyPlate guidelines, how many eggs equal the “one-ounce equivalent” of a protein food? (Pg. 179)

Answer 16

1 Whole Egg

Question 17

Considering an athlete is dehydrated and needs to rehydrate, how many liters of water must be consumed per kilogram of water lost (L/Kg)? (Pg. 198)

Answer 17

1.5 liters of water for every KG of bodyweight lost

Question 18

Approximately what percentage of energy expenditure comes from the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)? What does BMR measure? What percent of total expenditure comes from physical activity? (Pg. 216)

Answer 18

1: 60-75%
2: Autonomic functions such as breathing and circulation
3: 20-30%

Question 19

What is hyponatremia and when does it occur? What are the warning signs? What can this lead to if untreated? How can athletes reduce the risk of hyponatremia? (Pg. 197)

Answer 19

1: Known as ‘water intoxication’ - occurs when the sodium levels in the body are significantly depleted, which can happen when an athlete loses sodium and other electrolytes through the sweat during prolonged exercise.
2: Warning signs: Vomiting, headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, swollen hands and feet, restlessness, and disorientation.
3: Risks: cerebral edema, seizures, and even death.
4: Prevent: Sports drinks or mineral-rich food with plain water during and after training and competition.

Question 20

How long after training do the muscles remain more sensitive to amino acids? What happens to this sensitivity in this window and how should an athlete take advantage of this sensitivity for optimal training adaptations?

Answer 20

1: 48 hours
2: It becomes less sensitive over the 48 hours, so athletes should consume as closely to the initial training period as possible to maximize effectiveness as well as make it easier to consume the daily calories and protein they need.

Question 21

What are the hydration recommendations for children and adults during exercise?

Answer 21

• Children (40 kg): Drink 5 ounces of a flavored, salted beverage every 20 minutes.
• Children (60 kg): Drink 9 ounces of a flavored, salted beverage every 20 minutes, even if they do not feel thirsty.
• Adults: Follow an individualized hydration plan to achieve a urine specific gravity (USG) of less than 1.020. During events lasting longer than 60 minutes, adults should drink a sports drink containing 20-30 mEq of sodium per liter, 2-5 mEq of potassium, and carbohydrates in a concentration of 5-10%.

Question 22

What are the protein recommendations for athletes?

Answer 22

Endurance & Strength Athletes: 1.4 – 1.8g/kg body weight.

Athletes gaining weight: 1.5 – 2.0g/kg body weight.

Athletes in a calorie deficit: 1.8 – 2.7g/kg body weight.

Question 23

What are the carbohydrate recommendations for endurance and strength athletes?

Answer 23

Endurance athletes should consume 8-10g/kg of carbs, while strength athletes should consume 5-6g/kg.

Question 24

What percentage of total calories should come from fats?

Answer 24

20-30%

Question 25

What is the recommended fluid intake for post-training recovery?
(CHECK)

Answer 25

Drink 1.5 liters for each kg of body weight lost.

Question 26

What are the guidelines for carb loading before an event? (CHECK)

Answer 26

3 days out: 8-10g/kg of carbs
2 and 1 days out: 10-12g/kg