1.2a Physiology

Question 1

what are carbohydrates

Answer 1

the macronutrient is a fuel for energy production, cell division and active transport

fruit, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes

carbs can be stored in the form of starches which are stored in the form of glycogen and through sugars which ciruclate in the blood stream as glucose

Question 2

what are proteins

Answer 2

essential nutrient promote the growth and repair of muscles. Also used to generate energy once carb and fat stores a depleted.

eggs, chicken, fish

• consist of amino acids
• especially important for sportspeople who need to build up large, powerful muscles
• performers in rugby, weightlifting and sprinters need a high protein diet
• needed for performers recovering from injury in order to repair damaged tissue

Question 3

what are fats

Answer 3

used as a source of energy only once carbs run low, also used to insulate the body

cheese, butter, avacado, oily fish

• provide very slow releasing energy, so important for endurance activities
• made from glycerol and fatty acids. each glycerol molecule is attached to three fatty acid molecules
• fats are stored in the muscle as triglycerides

Question 4

what is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats

Answer 4

• staurated - contain high proportion of fatty acid molecules ( butter, cheese, bacon )
• unstaurated - boost delivery of oxygen and improve recovery rates ( avacado, oily fish, soya beans)

saturated = unhealthy

Question 5

what are minerals

Answer 5

essential in small quantities to maintain healthy bodily functions. increase efficiency of carrying oxygen to muscles

• calcuim in milk aid bone development
• iron in meat help form haemoglobin and the immune system
• phosphorous are key to bone health and energy production

Question 6

what are vitamins

Answer 6

generally contribute to the genral health of an athlete.Fat-soluble (vitamin A, D, E, K)
or water-soluble (vitamin C and B)

vitamins are needed to:
* resist infection and disease
* regulate chemical reactions in the body

Question 7

what is fibre

Answer 7

improtant for the normal functioning of the digest system

wholemeal, bread, pasta, nut, seeds, fruit and veg

Question 8

what is water

Answer 8

human body is 75% water, need regular intake to replace the water lost through urine, sweating and breathing

Question 9

define energy balance

Answer 9

the relationship between energy intake and expenditure

Question 10

what is BMR

Answer 10

basal metabolic rate is the bodies basic energy needs, the lowest form of energy requirement to maintain the body systems

eahc sport has a different energy requirement depending on:
* length of game
* intensity of activity
* level of opposition

Question 11

what are ergogenic aids

Answer 11

substances, products or training regimes that improve performance, there are both legal and illegal methods of achieving this and must be governed carefully

world anti-doping agency (WADA) introduced biological passports which profiles an athletes blood and urine reading to detect changes and irregualr patterns

Question 12

how do meals aid performance

Answer 12

the amount of food, composition of meals and timing are important part of athletes training programme

• Pre-event : 3-4 hours before endurance athlete eat a complex carbohydrate meal, low glycaemic index which fills glycogen stores. 1 hour before high glycaemic meal to top up glycogen stores and maintain blood glucose levels (too much can leave athlete feeling dizzy and fatigued, hypoglycaemia)
• During event: event lasting more than 1 hour recommended to consume small amount of simple carbs
• Post event: moderate/fast digesting carbs consumed within 30 minutes, repeated for 2 hour intervals for 2-6 hours

Question 13

what are nutritional aids

Answer 13

nutritional awareness and use of supplements are key for elite athletes to meet required balance bewteen health, training and performance

meals, drink types and supplements

Question 14

how is nutritional balance altered for strength based athletes

Answer 14

• eat 5-7 small meals a day
• increase amount of protein content to assist muscle growth and repair
• limited fat intake
• consume more complex carbs to release energy slowly and control blood sugar levels

Question 15

why is hydration balance important

Answer 15

water transports nutrients, hormones and waste products around the body, helps regulate the body temperature

during exercise, energy is required and some of that energy is realased as heat. Sweating prevents athletes from overheating yet the cooling process means water is lost, when water is lost blood volume decreases so the heart has to work harder to move blood around the body and less oxygen available to working muscles

Question 16

why is the balance of electrolytes important

Answer 16

important for the normal fucntioning of cells and organs to limit the onset of fatigue and cramping

Question 17

what are isotonic sports drinks used for

Answer 17

Used to replace the electrolytes to keep the concentrations of bodily fluids constant.

preferred by middle-long distance runners and games players as they replace fluids lost and give a carb boost

Question 18

what is the difference between hypertonic and hypotonic drinks

Answer 18

• Hypertonic - contain a high concentration of glucose and usually consumed post exercise to aid recovery, used by athletes who exercise for a long time
• Hypotonic - replace lost fluids but do not give a carbs boost, used to keep weight down

hypotonic = replace fluids

hypertonic = carbs boost + replace fluids

Question 19

what is glycogen loading

Answer 19

method for maximising glycogen stores

• 7 days prior - signficantly reduce carb diet / high protein
• 7-3 days prior - train high intensity each day cause severe depletion in muscles
• 3 days prior - taper training/rest, eat high carb diet

Question 20

what is creatine and whats its pros and cons

Answer 20

a supplement used to increase the amount of phosphocreatine stored in the muscles. Allows the ATP-PC system to operate for longer and help improve recovery times

Explosive events like sprints, jumps and throws

• Pros - easily accesible, athlete perform at higher intensity for longer
• Cons - muscle cramps, bloating, gastrointestinal problems and liver damage

Question 21

what is a biocarbonate

Answer 21

it reduces the acidity in the muscle cells, this delays fatigue and allows the performer to continue exercising at high intensity for longer

sodium biocarbonate increases the buffering capacity of the blood and therefore neutalises the effects of latic acid

Question 22

what athletes will benefit from a sodium bicarbonate buffer

Answer 22

400m runners and swimmers will prodcue alot of acidity therefore will benefit from a sodium biocarbonate buffer

Question 23

what are the side effects of biocarbonate

Answer 23

• vomiting
• unpleasant taste
• cramps
• diarrhoea
• feeling of being bloated

Question 24

what is caffeine and its pros and cons

Answer 24

It is a stimulant

taken by performers who mostly use their aerobic system for a long time

• pros - increase metnal alertness, reduce fatigue, improve mobilisation of fatty acids in the body and thus sparing glycogen sotres
• cons - increase risk of hydration, irritability, insomnia and anxiety

Question 25

what are nitrates

Answer 25

inorganic compounds are ingested by eating roots of vegtables. Stored in the body until during exercise wehn they are converted in nitric oxide which plays a role in vascular and metabolic control | leafy green vegtables ## Footnote nitrates can dilate blood vessels, reduce blood pressure and increase blood flow to tissues

Question 26

what is the difference between pharmacological and physiological aids

Answer 26

* pharmacological aids - drugs and supplements used to enhance performance (anabolic steriods, human growth hormones and caffeine) * physiological aids - used to increase the rate of adaptation in the body (blood doping, intermittent hypoxic training and cooling aids)

Question 27

what are anabloic steriods and whats its pros and cons

Answer 27

it is a synthetic hormones that resembles testosterone | power events (shot put, 100m) ## Footnote * pros - muscle growth, repair muscles after stress, ability to train harder, imporved recovery * irritability, acne, agressiveness, females develop male features

Question 28

what is erythropoietin (EPO) and whats its pros and cons

Answer 28

naturally occuring hormone in the body that can be synthesised in a lab | high endurance (cycling, marathon runner) ## Footnote * pros - increase red blood cell count, increase oxygen transport, improve aerobic capacity * cons - blood thickening (hyperviscoity), blood clots, cardiovascular problems

Question 29

what are human growth hormones and whats its pros and cons

Answer 29

naturally occruing hormone that is responsible for promoting muscle growth | powerlifting, bodybuilding ## Footnote * pros - increase muscle growth * cons - heart and nerve diseases, glucose intolerance, bone and organ growth deformities

Question 30

what is blood doping and whats its pros and cons

Answer 30

illegal way of increasing red blood cells in the body. A volume of blood is removed from the body prior to competition | distant sports - cycling, distance running ## Footnote * pros - increase total red blood cell count, increase bodys oxygen carrying capacity * cons - nausea, vomiting, headaches, abdominal pain, fatigue

Question 31

what is intermittent hypoxic training (IHT)

Answer 31

athletes live at sea level and train under conditions where the partial pressure oxygen has been decreased (hypoxic). ## Footnote * cheaper than altitude training as travel costs * no disruption to training routine * increase red blood cells and haemoglobin volume * increase oxygen carrying capacity * delay OBLA (lactic acid) * increase number of mitochondria in any given space and bodys buffering capacity (resistance to PH change in the body)

Question 32

what cooling aids are used pre, during and post event

Answer 32

1. Pre event - ice vest and colds wraps used to reduce core body temperature, delay onset fatigue through reducing overheating, sweating and dehydration 2. During event - ice packs used to treat injuries and reduce pain/swelling. RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) 3. Post event - ice baths to reduce exercise induced muscle damage and DOMS, ice baths contstrict blood vessel removing waste and latic acid from muscles