CISSN STUDY GUIDE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2025/2026.
Based on recent studies, which vitamin shows evidence of positively affecting muscle function?
- ANS Vitamin D
Explain how carnosine is synthesized within the body - ANS a. Carnosine (B-alanyl Histidine)
is made in the body from histidine and B-alanine via an energy dependent reaction catalyzed by
carnosine synthetase
b. Found in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain, kidney, and stomach
c. Available in meats and absorbed in 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
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,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 A highly
branched starch called amylopectin. Water soluble and absorbed by the gut more quickly than
dextrose or maltodextrin, research has not substantiated this claim.
b. Has been shown to be absorbed with less insulin, allowing ketogenic affects to remain,
increase both glycogen and FFA substrate utilization
What is needed for gluconeogenesis in humans? Give examples of gluconeogenic precursors -
ANS Gluconeogenesis relies upon
lactate
pyruvate
glycerol (a catabolic produce of triaglycerols)
certain amino acids (glutamine and alanine
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
Coffee constituents other than caffeine may affect the development of type 2 diabetes.
What effect does supplementing with WPI have on muscle damage? - ANS a. The major
finding of this investigation was that whey protein isolate supplementation attenuated the
impairment in isometric and isokinetic muscle forces during recovery from exercise-induced
muscle injury.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,b. The current study demonstrates that whey protein in a partially hydrolysed (pre-digested)
form improves strength recovery rates, possibly due to an increase in the rate of repair
processes and/or a reduction in the extent of damage, from intense training, in particular,
eccentric exercise that is commonly used in weight training.
When glycogen stores are depleted, what macronutrient becomes the predominant fuel source
during distance running? - ANS Fat
How many extra kcals are required for accumulation of 1kg of body fat? - ANS Approximately
7000
What are the effects of pre-exercise dehydration on thermoregulation and performance -
ANS Decreased thermoregulation and performance.
What are the effects of L-alanyl-L-Glutamine supplementation on time-to-exhaustion and
dehydration stress? - ANS AG supplementation provids a significant ergogenic benefit by:
increasing time to exhaustion during a mild hydration stress.
This ergogenic effect was likely mediated by an enhanced fluid and electrolyte uptake.
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 Complete acclimation takes up to 14 days
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What is HICA and what are the effects of its supplementation for a period of 4 weeks? -
ANS a. Alfa-Hydroxy-isocaproic acid (HICA) is an end product of leucine metabolism in human
tissues such as muscle and connective tissue. According to the clinical and experimental studies,
HICA can be considered as an anti-catabolic substance. The present study investigated the
effects of HICA supplementation on body composition, delayed onset of muscle soreness
(DOMS) and physical performance of athletes during a training period.
b. a 4-week HICA supplementation of 1.5 g a day leads to small increases in muscle mass during
an intensive training period in soccer athletes.
What is a Bod-Pod - ANS A body composition recording device that uses Air Displacement
Plethysmography.
Compare fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. Under what conditions does one fuel
source predominate over the other - ANS a. Fat oxidation primarily occurs at low intensity
long duration exercise
b. Carbohydrates are oxidized preferentially during higher intensity exercise
What effect does betaine supplementation have on exercise performance? - ANS a. positively
affect exercise performance through favorable lactate and preferential fatty acid substrate
metabolism
b. increase power, force, and maintenance
Chronic heavy resistance training causes what adaptations in skeletal muscle - ANS a.
Increase in muscle strength and size (hypertrophy)
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2025/2026.
Based on recent studies, which vitamin shows evidence of positively affecting muscle function?
- ANS Vitamin D
Explain how carnosine is synthesized within the body - ANS a. Carnosine (B-alanyl Histidine)
is made in the body from histidine and B-alanine via an energy dependent reaction catalyzed by
carnosine synthetase
b. Found in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain, kidney, and stomach
c. Available in meats and absorbed in 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
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,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 A highly
branched starch called amylopectin. Water soluble and absorbed by the gut more quickly than
dextrose or maltodextrin, research has not substantiated this claim.
b. Has been shown to be absorbed with less insulin, allowing ketogenic affects to remain,
increase both glycogen and FFA substrate utilization
What is needed for gluconeogenesis in humans? Give examples of gluconeogenic precursors -
ANS Gluconeogenesis relies upon
lactate
pyruvate
glycerol (a catabolic produce of triaglycerols)
certain amino acids (glutamine and alanine
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
Coffee constituents other than caffeine may affect the development of type 2 diabetes.
What effect does supplementing with WPI have on muscle damage? - ANS a. The major
finding of this investigation was that whey protein isolate supplementation attenuated the
impairment in isometric and isokinetic muscle forces during recovery from exercise-induced
muscle injury.
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,b. The current study demonstrates that whey protein in a partially hydrolysed (pre-digested)
form improves strength recovery rates, possibly due to an increase in the rate of repair
processes and/or a reduction in the extent of damage, from intense training, in particular,
eccentric exercise that is commonly used in weight training.
When glycogen stores are depleted, what macronutrient becomes the predominant fuel source
during distance running? - ANS Fat
How many extra kcals are required for accumulation of 1kg of body fat? - ANS Approximately
7000
What are the effects of pre-exercise dehydration on thermoregulation and performance -
ANS Decreased thermoregulation and performance.
What are the effects of L-alanyl-L-Glutamine supplementation on time-to-exhaustion and
dehydration stress? - ANS AG supplementation provids a significant ergogenic benefit by:
increasing time to exhaustion during a mild hydration stress.
This ergogenic effect was likely mediated by an enhanced fluid and electrolyte uptake.
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 Complete acclimation takes up to 14 days
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What is HICA and what are the effects of its supplementation for a period of 4 weeks? -
ANS a. Alfa-Hydroxy-isocaproic acid (HICA) is an end product of leucine metabolism in human
tissues such as muscle and connective tissue. According to the clinical and experimental studies,
HICA can be considered as an anti-catabolic substance. The present study investigated the
effects of HICA supplementation on body composition, delayed onset of muscle soreness
(DOMS) and physical performance of athletes during a training period.
b. a 4-week HICA supplementation of 1.5 g a day leads to small increases in muscle mass during
an intensive training period in soccer athletes.
What is a Bod-Pod - ANS A body composition recording device that uses Air Displacement
Plethysmography.
Compare fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise. Under what conditions does one fuel
source predominate over the other - ANS a. Fat oxidation primarily occurs at low intensity
long duration exercise
b. Carbohydrates are oxidized preferentially during higher intensity exercise
What effect does betaine supplementation have on exercise performance? - ANS a. positively
affect exercise performance through favorable lactate and preferential fatty acid substrate
metabolism
b. increase power, force, and maintenance
Chronic heavy resistance training causes what adaptations in skeletal muscle - ANS a.
Increase in muscle strength and size (hypertrophy)
4 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
