Module 9

Question 1

Fitness

Answer 1

• Definition:
– Ability to perform routine physical activity 
without undue fatigue
• Overload Principle
– Body will adapt to stresses placed on it
• Parameters
– Cardiorespiratory Endurance
– Muscle Strength and Endurance
– Flexibility
– Healthy Body Composition

Question 2

Cardiorespiratory Endurance

Answer 2

• Determines how long one can continue a task with an
elevated heart rate
– Requires muscle strength
– Involves
• Cardiovascular system
• Respiratory system
• Endurance is increased by aerobic exercise (any exercise that
increases heart rate and requires oxygen in metabolism)
– Increases stroke volume decreases resting heart rate
– More fit people have slower resting heart rates

Question 3

Cardiorespiratory Endurance

Answer 3

Increases maximal oxygen consumption 
• Depends on
– Body’s ability to deliver 
oxygen to cells
– Cells’ ability to use oxygen to 
produce energy
• Aerobic capacity, VO2 max, is the 
body’s ability to generate ATP by 
aerobic metabolism during 
exercise 
• The greater the VO2 max the more 
intense an activity the person can 
engage in before lack of O2 affects 
performance

Question 4

Health Benefits of Exercise

Answer 4

• Maintenance of a healthy body weight
– Increase lean tissue and limit body fat
– More lean tissue keeps energy needs high
• Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease
– Strengthens heart
– Lowers blood pressure
– Increases HDL cholesterol
• Reduces risk of Type II Diabetes
– Improves insulin sensitivity

Question 5

Health Benefits of Exercise (Cont.)

Answer 5

• Reduces risk of Osteoporosis and Joint Disorders
– Weight-bearing exercise can increase bone mass and
reduce bone loss
– Exercise can benefit those with arthritis by increasing
strength and flexibility
• Reduces risk of some cancers
– Breast and colon
• Mood Elevation
– Release of endorphins

Question 6

ATP (energy source)

Answer 6

– The immediate source of energy for all body functions

– Small amounts stored in muscle

Question 7

Creatine Phosphate (Energy Source)

Answer 7

– A compound found in muscle that can be broken down

to generate ATP

Question 8

ATP is used for energy during exercise in…

Answer 8

– In resting muscle, there is enough ATP to
sustain an intense activity for a few seconds
– Creatine Phosphate is sort of a “back-up”
supply of energy to make ATP in muscle
• Enough to fuel 10-15 seconds of exercise

Question 9

ATP needs to be replenished from:

Answer 9

– Fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism

– Through electron transport chain

Question 10

Availability of Oxygen

Answer 10

– If oxygen is available, fat, carbohydrates, and 
protein can all be burned for energy
•Aerobic metabolism
– If oxygen is unavailable, then only 
carbohydrates can be used for energy
•i.e. Anaerobic metabolism

Question 11

Energy usage for slow exercise:

Answer 11

• If you are exercising slowly enough that you have
oxygen to run electron transport chain:
– You are using primarily fatty acids for energy

Question 12

Energy Usage for Intense exercise

Answer 12

• If you are exercising so intensely that the body or
specific muscles cannot get enough oxygen to run
electron transport chain:
– You are using glucose through glycolysis
– Producing lactic acid as a by-product

Question 13

Fat as an Energy Source

Answer 13

• Fatty acids must be transported into mitochondria to be
burned
– Requires the molecule carnitine
– Carnitine supplements marketed to athletes

Question 14

Carnitine

Answer 14

• Carnitine is made by the body from amino acids
– Does not need to be eaten
– No evidence that healthy people…
• Burn more fat with carnitine supplements
• Have better endurance with supplements

Question 15

Effect of Training

Answer 15

• Training results in physiological changes that
allow you to better burn fat for energy
– Can go longer without switching to glycogen
(limited supply)
•More blood delivered with each beat
•Increased capillary vessels to muscles
•Increased number of muscle cell
mitochondria
• Increased ability to store muscle glycogen

Question 16

Energy needs are affected by

Answer 16

– BMR, TEF and PA

Question 17

Ideal Energy Source Composition:

Answer 17

• Carbohydrate
– 55-60% of kcal to replace muscle and liver glycogen 
stores used by exercise
• Fat
– Same as recommended for general population, < 30% 
of kcal from fat
• Protein
–10-20% of energy needs
•Can get proteins from food

Question 18

Iron

Answer 18

• Regular intense exercise can increase

iron needs 30-70%

Question 19

Calcium (Ca)

Answer 19

• Female Athlete Triad
– Interrelated disorders that are common in female
athletes who strive to lose body weight and body fat to
promote performance
• Exercise combined with disordered eating can cause low
estrogen levels
– Can cause menses to stop
• Low estrogen interferes with Calcium status
– Results in a reduction in bone mass and bone mineral
density
• Combined with low Calcium intake
– Premature bone loss, failure to reach peak bone mass,
and increased risk of fractures

Question 20

Water is needed to

Answer 20

– Regulate body temperature
– Transport oxygen and nutrients to the muscles
– Transport waste products away from muscles

Question 21

Thermal distress

Answer 21

• Caused when lost water is not replaced
– Dehydration
• Blood volume is decreased
– Heat cramps
• Caused by imbalance of water & 
electrolytes
– Heat exhaustion
• Too little blood to both cool body & 
deliver oxygen to active muscles 
– Heat stroke
• Most serious, when temperature 
regulatory center of the brain fails

Question 22

Glycogen Loading

Answer 22

• Involves depleting glycogen stores 
by exercising strenuously and then 
replenishing glycogen by 
consuming a high-CHO diet for a 
few days before competition
– Can increase glycogen stores 20
-40%
– 3 g water associated with each 
g of glycogen stored
– Is beneficial for endurance 
athletes
• Not for exercise of short 
duration

Question 23

B-vitamins

Answer 23

• In general, B vitamins serve as coenzymes (Module 2)
– Act as carriers of electrons or atoms in metabolic
reactions
– Primarily in energy metabolism
– Also important in amino acid metabolism

Question 24

Ergogenic

Answer 24

Something that increases physical performance.

Question 25

Coenzymes

Answer 25

Vitamins

Question 26

Cofactors

Answer 26

Minerals

Question 27

Cofactors for Enzymes

Answer 27

• Essential in diet • Do not provide energy, but instead: – Aid in chemical reactions to produce energy from macronutrients – Facilitate other essential chemical reactions – Are required for the proper functioning of many enzymes (which are proteins) •Cofactors themselves are not proteins

Question 28

Niacin

Answer 28

Important in energy production from energy-containing nutrients. • Active coenzymes: – NAD or NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) – NADP or NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate)

Question 29

Riboflavin

Answer 29

A vitamin that is: • Made into 2 active coenzymes: – FAD or FADH2 (flavin adenine dinucleotide) • Functions in the citric acid cycle and the breakdown of fatty acids • Like NADH it is “cashed in” for ATP (2) in the electron transport chain – FMN (flavin mononucleotide) • Serves as electron carrier in electron transport chain

Question 30

Thiamin

Answer 30

• Important in energy-releasing reactions • Active coenzyme: thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) – In reactions where CO2 is lost from larger molecules • Production of Acetyl CoA from Pyruvate • TCA cycle

Question 31

Biotin

Answer 31

• Needed for some reactions in gluconeogenesis • Also important in the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids • Found in liver, egg yolks, yogurt, and nuts

Question 32

Pantothenic Acid

Answer 32

``` • Makes: coenzyme A (CoA) – Is part of acetyl-CoA •Acetyl CoA is produced during the breakdown of –CHO –Fatty acids –Amino acids ```

Question 33

B6 (pyridoxine)

Answer 33

``` • Active coenzyme: PLP (pyridoxal phosphate) – Needed by > 100 enzymes involved in metabolism of CHO, fat, & protein • to make non-essential amino acids • to degrade excess amino acids • to convert amino acids to glucose for energy – The more protein you eat, the higher your requirement for B6 ```

Question 34

Folate (folic acid)

Answer 34

``` • Metabolism of some amino acids • Synthesis of DNA – Makes it particularly important in production of red blood cells • Deficiency causes anemia ```

Question 35

B12 (Cobalamin)

Answer 35

• 2 active coenzymes – 1 necessary for the conversion of fatty acids to energy – 1 necessary in metabolism of the AA methionine • Also critical in regenerating active folate – A B12 deficiency can cause a folate deficiency

Question 36

Vit C, Vit E and Beta Carotene

Answer 36

• Antioxidant supplements which are promoted in athletes because exercise – Increase electron transport • higher production of free radicals • Supplements have been shown to prevent oxidative damage but not enhance performance

Question 37

Ergogenic Aids

Answer 37

``` • Some Mineral Supplements promoted – Chromium – Vanadium – Selenium – Zinc – Iron • Summary – No known benefits – Potential toxicity ```

Question 38

Chromium Picolinate

Answer 38

``` – Chromium is needed for insulin action •Insulin promotes protein synthesis • Human studies – No beneficial effect on •Muscle strength •Body composition •Weight loss •Other aspects of health ```

Question 39

Creatine

Answer 39

• Creatine is synthesized by our body and is found in the diet in meat and milk – Supplements have been found to increase muscle creatine – Provides muscles with more quick energy for activity, delays fatigue – Allows creatine phosphate to be regenerated more quickly after exercise – Enhances strength, performance and recovery – Impairs accumulation of lactic acid

Question 40

Caffeine

Answer 40

• Caffeine has been shown to enhance performance during prolonged moderate-intensity endurance exercise and short-term intense exercise • May release fatty acids as a fuel source – Glycogen is spared – Delaying the onset of fatigue • In some athletes caffeine may impair performance by increasing water loss in the urine – Or causing gastrointestinal upset

Question 41

Ginseng

Answer 41

– Promoted to increase endurance – In certain amounts, it has been shown to increase muscle strength and aerobic capacity • Benefits may be greater for older subjects – Generally considered to be safe • May increase side effects of other stimulants like caffeine

Question 42

Ephedrine/ephedra

Answer 42

– Stimulant that mimics the effect of epinephrine (adrenaline) • Lower doses, when combined with caffeine, have been shown to – Increase time to exhaustion in exercise – Promote a reduction of body fat during weight loss – Side effects include • nervousness, headache, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias and even death