CISSN STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2025/2026.
Explain how carnosine is synthesized within the body - ANS a. Carnosine is made in the body
from L-histidine and beta-alanine via an energy-dependent reaction catalyzed by carnosine
synthetase.
b. Found in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain tissue, kidney, and stomach.
c. The highest concentration is found in meats and absorbed in the intestine via peptide
transporters.
d. Antioxidant activity, (hydroxyl and superoxide radical) and oppose glycation.
e. Suppress lipid peroxidation and react with protein carbonyl
f. Regulates intracellular calcium and contractility in muscle
g. Primarily, carnosine with pH buffering capacity is widely used in the field of sports nutrition.
Because the dissociation exponent (pKa) of carnosine is 6.83, it is suggested that carnosine
attenuates the reduction in blood pH by a large amount of H+ originating from the dissociation
of lactic acid during strenuous exercise, and suppresses a loss of force.
What is a waxy maize starch and what effect does it have on blood glucose? - ANS + Slow
digesting starch.
+ Blunts plasma and insulin response leading to prolonged energy availability and satiety
compared to rapidly digested starches.
+ Absorbed with less insulin allowing ketogenic effects to remain.
+ Examples are rice, barley, and corn.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,+ Contains two starch polymers: amylose, and amylopectin.
Based on recent studies, which vitamin shows evidence of positively affecting muscle function?
- ANS Vitamin D
The ISSN opinion on energy drinks - ANS 1. The primary ergogenic nutrients in most ED and
ES appear to be carbohydrates and/or caffeine.
2. The ergogenic value of caffeine on mental and physical performance has been well-
established but the potential additive benefits of other nutrients contained in ED and ES remain
to be determined.
3. Consuming ED 10-60 minutes before exercise can improve mental focus, alertness, anaerobic
performance, and/or endurance performance.
4. Many ED and ES contain numerous ingredients; these products in particular merit further
study to demonstrate their safety and potential effects on physical and mental performance.
5. There is some limited evidence that consumption of low-calorie ED during training and/or
weight loss trials may provide ergogenic benefit and/or promote a small amount of additional
fat loss. However, ingestion of higher calorie ED may promote weight gain if the energy intake
from consumption of ED is not carefully considered as part of the total daily energy intake.
6. Athletes should consider the impact of ingesting high glycemic load carbohydrates on
metabolic health, blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as the effects of caffeine and other
stimulants on motor skill performance.
7. Children and adolescents should only consider use of ED or ES with parental approval.
8. Uncareful use of ED or ES, especially if more than one serving per day is consumed, may lead
to adverse events and harmful side effects.
9. Diabetics and individuals with cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatorenal, and neurologic disease
who are taking medications that may be affected by high glycemic load foods, caffeine, and/or
other stimulants should avoid the use of ED and/or ES unless approved by their physician.
What is needed for gluconeogenesis in humans? Give examples of gluconeogenic precursors. -
ANS Gluconeogenesis relies upon lactate, pyruvate, glycerol (catabolic produce of
triacylglycerols) and certain amino acids (glutamine and alanine)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What effect does long-term coffee consumption have on Type II Diabetes? - ANS Moderate
consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower risk of type 2 diabetes in
younger and middle-aged women.
What effect does supplementing with WPI have on muscle damage? - ANS (whey protein
isolate)
- affected isometric and isokinetic MUSCLE RECOVERY
- improves recovery rates and reduces damage from intense training
When glycogen stores are depleted, what macronutrient becomes the predominant fuel source
during distance running? - ANS fat
What are the effects of pre-exercise dehydration on thermoregulation and exercise
performance? - ANS Decreased thermoregulation and performance. dehydration = fatigue
What are the effects of L-alanyl-L-glutamine supplementation on time-to- exhaustion and
dehydration stress? - ANS - provides ergogenic benefit
- increased time-to-exhaustion during mild hydration stress
- enhanced electrolyte and fluid absorption = potential use for cardiovascular exercise, which
causes hydration stress.
What effects can a low-carbohydrate diet have on prolonged physical activity? -
ANS Decreased glycogen synthesis, decreased performance, overreaching/ overtraining.
Approximately how many days of heat exposure does it take to fully acclimate to exercising in
the heat? - ANS 14 days for complete acclimation.
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What is HICA and what are the effects of its supplementation for a period of 4 weeks? - ANS -
HICA = alfa-hydroxy-isocaproic acid
- the end product of leucine metabolism in human tissue such as muscle and connective
- considered an anti-catabolic substance
- studied body composition, delayed onset of muscle soreness, physical performance
- 4 week period of HICA supplementation
- 1.5 g/day leads to increase MUSCLE MASS
What is a BOD POD? DEXA? - ANS BOD POD: body composition recording device that uses Air
Displacement Plethysmography (how much air your body displaces)
DEXA: Dual X-ray Absorptiometry. Uses beams of very low-energy radiation to determine the
density of the bone.
Compare fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. Under what conditions does one fuel
source predominate over the other? - ANS - Fat oxidation occurs at low intensity long
duration exercise.
- Carbohydrates are oxidized during higher intensity shorter exercise.
What effect does betaine supplementation have on exercise performance? - ANS - shown to
increase power, force and maintenance
- affects exercise performance through favorable lactate and fatty acid substrate metabolism.
Chronic heavy resistance training causes what adaptations in skeletal muscle? - ANS -
increase in muscle strength and size (hypertrophy)
- greater increase in type II muscle fibers
-a shift in fiber type IIx to IIa
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2025/2026.
Explain how carnosine is synthesized within the body - ANS a. Carnosine is made in the body
from L-histidine and beta-alanine via an energy-dependent reaction catalyzed by carnosine
synthetase.
b. Found in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain tissue, kidney, and stomach.
c. The highest concentration is found in meats and absorbed in the intestine via peptide
transporters.
d. Antioxidant activity, (hydroxyl and superoxide radical) and oppose glycation.
e. Suppress lipid peroxidation and react with protein carbonyl
f. Regulates intracellular calcium and contractility in muscle
g. Primarily, carnosine with pH buffering capacity is widely used in the field of sports nutrition.
Because the dissociation exponent (pKa) of carnosine is 6.83, it is suggested that carnosine
attenuates the reduction in blood pH by a large amount of H+ originating from the dissociation
of lactic acid during strenuous exercise, and suppresses a loss of force.
What is a waxy maize starch and what effect does it have on blood glucose? - ANS + Slow
digesting starch.
+ Blunts plasma and insulin response leading to prolonged energy availability and satiety
compared to rapidly digested starches.
+ Absorbed with less insulin allowing ketogenic effects to remain.
+ Examples are rice, barley, and corn.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,+ Contains two starch polymers: amylose, and amylopectin.
Based on recent studies, which vitamin shows evidence of positively affecting muscle function?
- ANS Vitamin D
The ISSN opinion on energy drinks - ANS 1. The primary ergogenic nutrients in most ED and
ES appear to be carbohydrates and/or caffeine.
2. The ergogenic value of caffeine on mental and physical performance has been well-
established but the potential additive benefits of other nutrients contained in ED and ES remain
to be determined.
3. Consuming ED 10-60 minutes before exercise can improve mental focus, alertness, anaerobic
performance, and/or endurance performance.
4. Many ED and ES contain numerous ingredients; these products in particular merit further
study to demonstrate their safety and potential effects on physical and mental performance.
5. There is some limited evidence that consumption of low-calorie ED during training and/or
weight loss trials may provide ergogenic benefit and/or promote a small amount of additional
fat loss. However, ingestion of higher calorie ED may promote weight gain if the energy intake
from consumption of ED is not carefully considered as part of the total daily energy intake.
6. Athletes should consider the impact of ingesting high glycemic load carbohydrates on
metabolic health, blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as the effects of caffeine and other
stimulants on motor skill performance.
7. Children and adolescents should only consider use of ED or ES with parental approval.
8. Uncareful use of ED or ES, especially if more than one serving per day is consumed, may lead
to adverse events and harmful side effects.
9. Diabetics and individuals with cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatorenal, and neurologic disease
who are taking medications that may be affected by high glycemic load foods, caffeine, and/or
other stimulants should avoid the use of ED and/or ES unless approved by their physician.
What is needed for gluconeogenesis in humans? Give examples of gluconeogenic precursors. -
ANS Gluconeogenesis relies upon lactate, pyruvate, glycerol (catabolic produce of
triacylglycerols) and certain amino acids (glutamine and alanine)
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What effect does long-term coffee consumption have on Type II Diabetes? - ANS Moderate
consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower risk of type 2 diabetes in
younger and middle-aged women.
What effect does supplementing with WPI have on muscle damage? - ANS (whey protein
isolate)
- affected isometric and isokinetic MUSCLE RECOVERY
- improves recovery rates and reduces damage from intense training
When glycogen stores are depleted, what macronutrient becomes the predominant fuel source
during distance running? - ANS fat
What are the effects of pre-exercise dehydration on thermoregulation and exercise
performance? - ANS Decreased thermoregulation and performance. dehydration = fatigue
What are the effects of L-alanyl-L-glutamine supplementation on time-to- exhaustion and
dehydration stress? - ANS - provides ergogenic benefit
- increased time-to-exhaustion during mild hydration stress
- enhanced electrolyte and fluid absorption = potential use for cardiovascular exercise, which
causes hydration stress.
What effects can a low-carbohydrate diet have on prolonged physical activity? -
ANS Decreased glycogen synthesis, decreased performance, overreaching/ overtraining.
Approximately how many days of heat exposure does it take to fully acclimate to exercising in
the heat? - ANS 14 days for complete acclimation.
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What is HICA and what are the effects of its supplementation for a period of 4 weeks? - ANS -
HICA = alfa-hydroxy-isocaproic acid
- the end product of leucine metabolism in human tissue such as muscle and connective
- considered an anti-catabolic substance
- studied body composition, delayed onset of muscle soreness, physical performance
- 4 week period of HICA supplementation
- 1.5 g/day leads to increase MUSCLE MASS
What is a BOD POD? DEXA? - ANS BOD POD: body composition recording device that uses Air
Displacement Plethysmography (how much air your body displaces)
DEXA: Dual X-ray Absorptiometry. Uses beams of very low-energy radiation to determine the
density of the bone.
Compare fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. Under what conditions does one fuel
source predominate over the other? - ANS - Fat oxidation occurs at low intensity long
duration exercise.
- Carbohydrates are oxidized during higher intensity shorter exercise.
What effect does betaine supplementation have on exercise performance? - ANS - shown to
increase power, force and maintenance
- affects exercise performance through favorable lactate and fatty acid substrate metabolism.
Chronic heavy resistance training causes what adaptations in skeletal muscle? - ANS -
increase in muscle strength and size (hypertrophy)
- greater increase in type II muscle fibers
-a shift in fiber type IIx to IIa
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
