DID YOU KNOW ?

1. Which is the most important source of energy during sports activities demanding intense efforts?

a) Carbohydrates
b) Fat contents
c) Proteins

ANSWER a) Carbohydrates
The body needs more carbohydrates than any other nutritional element, except for water naturally! The carbohydrates supply the most energy to athletes; they represent 50 to 60 % of the total energy contribution required by the body in activity. Needs in fat are around 15 to 25 % and those in proteins vary between 15 and 20 %. (These proportions can differ from one individual to an other and according to the practised sport).

Carbohydrates are transformed into glucose (sugar) in the body which stimulate the production of ATP, a highly energy substance. The glucose circulates in the blood and establishes a glycogen stocking in muscles and liver. Muscles use the glycogen as a source of energy and the liver uses it to maintain the level of glucose steady in the blood.

Carbohydrates play the most important role during a physical activity; they supply the energy needed by your muscles in order to work effectively. That is why, it is important to make a good stocking before getting physical while doing an activity.

2. When it comes to the consumption of energy by the body, the ATP comes into play. What the ATP?

a) Triphosphoric acid
b) Adenosine triphosphate
c) Triophosphate active

ANSWER b) Adenosine triphosphate
THE ATP or adenosine triphosphate, is an amino acid with high energy potential which, having got the energy released by the degradation of carbohydrates, releases it under the influence of enzymes, according to the needs of the body. Every muscular cell contains a certain reserve of ATP; that is what allows it to act quickly and with strength. This natural stocking is limited and consume in two or three seconds only.

3. According to the type of sport, athlete can count on three mechanisms of energy production (ATP) to put itself in action. Which one acts in aerobic mode?

a) ATP-CP
b) ATP-Glycogen
c) ATP-Oxygen

ANSWER c) ATP-Oxygen
The first two types of energy production (the ATP-CP and the ATP-Glycogen) are made under the anaerobic mode, which is without contribution of oxygen. When they work according to the one or the other one of these two modes of energy production, our muscles can support an intense effort for a period of 90 seconds maximum. Beyond this period, our muscles can maintain less, but steady effort, by producing the ATP under the aerobic mode, which is with the presence of oxygen (ATP-Oxygen). In general, our muscles appeal to the mechanisms of production of energy (or ATP) during the practice of sports activity.

For example, during a hockey game, the three systems overlap to make ATP: during a throw muscles work under the ATP-CP mode. If we follow an opponent closely during several seconds, it is the mode of the glycogen anaerobic (ATP-Glycogen) who acts. Naturally, the system with oxygen (ATP-Oxygen) works throughout the whole playing time.

4. Which seaweed is often used as supplement for its remarkable nutritional properties?

a) Wrack
b) Spirulina
c) Chlorelle

ANSWER b) Spirulina
Spirulina has been there for more than three billion years. Named like that because of its spiral shape, it belongs to the family of cyanobacterium or microcomputing blue-green alga. There are 1500 kinds of blue alga of which 36 kinds of spirulina are edible. The spirulina is frequently used as a supplement because it contains a phenomenal quantity of nutriments.

The spirulina is particularly recognized for its incredibly content in proteins (55 % to 70 % of its weight), containing all the essential amino acids.

Spirulina is a supplement of high quality, very rich in iron, an exceptional source of varied carotenoides (beta carotene,…) containing considerable quantity of gamma-linolenique acid (insatured fat acid of the omega-6 family).

5) What is whey?

a) Name used to define the maternal milk
b) Name used to define some vegetable source milk
c) Name used to define a whey protein

ANSWER c) Name used to define a whey protein
In the process of cheese fabrication, the milk is separated in two compounds: the curd, semi solid matter which will become the cheese, and the whey, liquid in which we find lactose (from 70% to 75%), soluble proteins (from 10% to 13%) and vitamins and minerals (essentially calcium).

The whey is a product of the cheese industry. We put it under different processes of filtration intended to concentrate proteins, then we dehydrate them to obtain a soluble powder which transports itself easily and preserves well. The proteins of this powder are rich in amino acids, particularly glutamine.

6. What is the best moment to consume a proteins supplement?

a) 2 to 3 hours before training
b) Just before training
c) After training

ANSWER c) After training
Proteins are better absorbed by the body when they are taken after the exercise. In order for proteins to play an optimal role, they must be consumed 30 to 90 minutes after the exercise. That is why we consider that taking a protein supplement should allow to improve the capacity of the body to reconstitute its muscular mass. The muscular pains felt after the effort are the results of microscopic lesions imposed on muscles by exercising. That is the basic principle of extensive training to increase the muscular mass. We hurt muscles so that they will build faster and stronger, which makes them more powerful. Proteins are the basic substance of any body cells. They are indispensable for the body’s tissues construction and repair. The consumption of a protein is essential, the organism being unable to do reserves of it, your body needs to get it itself. The quality and the value of a protein depend on the content of each of the essential amino acids, as well as their speed of digestion. If you are active, wanting to build your muscular mass and get energy throughout your exercise, you need more proteins than an inactive person.

7. What is the main function of antioxidizers?

a) Bring energy and stamina
b) Fight against free radicals
c) Act as an anti-inflammatory

ANSWER b) Fight against free radicals
Antioxidizers destroy free radicals in the body, which slows down the deterioration of tissues and helps to prevent several diseases. Several chemical substances present in food are called antioxidizers because they have the property to prevent the chain reaction launched by free radicals.

Antioxidizers are nutriments that get free radicals in our body. Free radicals are toxins found in our outside environment, in air, water or food that we consume, but also toxins that our body produces.

Antioxidizers act in fact by getting the free radicals in order to isolate their single electrons and transform them afterward into molecules or into stable ions. Here is why it is essential to take a weekly contribution of antioxidizers to maintain our body far from all free radicals or toxins who, besides reducing or cancelling the beneficial effect of vitamins, mineral and the other essential nutriments in our survival, damages very quickly our health, our metabolism and its fragile balance.

8. How many essential amino acids exist?

a) 7 essential amino acids
b) 9 essential amino acids
c) 20 essential amino acids

ANSWER b) 9 essential amino acids
Amino acids are the essential constituents of proteins. Twenty amino acids enter in the composition of the human body and 9 of them (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophane, valine) can’t be synthesized by the body and must be found in food or in nutritional supplements. They are called "essential".

Amino acids can be obtained in a variety of supplementary forms including capsules, tablets, bars and certain number of powder mixtures. Amino acids are typically categorized based on their role as essential or not essential elements. Not essential amino acids can be directly made by the body or can be obtained by the conversion of another amino acid. It is important to keep in mind that "not essential" does not mean that these amino acids are not important. It simply means that, in ideal circumstances, there are other ways than diet to obtain them.