Question

1. Which of the following fuel burning pathways requires oxygen?
a. fatty acid breakdown
b. ATP and creatine phosphate breakdown

2. A marathon runner who decides to follow the Ethiopian Super-Elite Athletes Diet will follow a macronutrient composition diet with which of the following percentages (closest approximation)?

a. 75% Calories from carbs
15% Calories from lean proteins
10% Calories from healthy fats

b. 30% Calories from carbs
20% Calories from lean proteins
50% Calories from healthy fats

Answer 1

1. Fatty acid breakdown requires oxygen (aerobic process). It involves the breakdown of fatty acids into their metabolites. This pathway includes three major steps- lipolysis which form free fatty acid, fatty acid oxidation, and beta oxidation. The mitochondrial oxidation of fatty acid the fatty acid are converted into 2 acetyl Co A which enter into he krebs cycle to yield reduced NADH and FADH2 . These reduced NADH and FADH2 participate in electron transport chain in mitochondria to generate ATP . So it is a mitochondrial aerobic process.

2. The Ethipian super elite atheletes diet includes 75% calories from carbohydrates, 15% calories from lean proteins and 10% calories from healthy fats approximately. It is designated as a High Carb Low fat (HCLF) diet. The ethopian atheletes use 95% vegetarian anti- paleo diet which is largely based on grams and breads (rice, pasta, lentils,vegetables, cooked wheat, corn). It is entirely a plant based diet.