This module builds upon the metabolic concepts covered in the 1st year (Principles of Nutrition and Metabolism). An understanding of the energetics of exercise and the biochemistry and metabolism of macronutrients is fundamental to sports performance and health. This module looks at the provision of energy for muscular work and the regulation of biochemical processes that result in catabolism or anabolism depending on the overriding metabolic state including famine, plenty, specific exercise intensities and durations, and recovery from exercise. We will also look at the metabolic factors that may be involved in the fatigue mechanism. In addition this module examines how physiological variables mirror the metabolic states associated with different exercise intensity domains.
Learning outcomes
To pass this module students need to be able to:
1. describe the sources of energy for muscle contraction and discuss how they are deployed during physical activity in different exercise intensity domains;
2. describe the main anabolic and catabolic biochemical pathways;
3. explain the regulation of metabolism under different exercise and energetic conditions;
4. discuss the potential metabolic causes of fatigue for different types of exercise;
5. discuss various physiological measurements associated with different exercise intensity domains.
- Module Supervisor: Katharine Reed