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Why is an adequate intake of vitamins important in an athlete’s diet? (A) They are energy rich nutrients - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 8 - 2015 - Paper 1
Question 8
Why is an adequate intake of vitamins important in an athlete’s diet? (A) They are energy rich nutrients. (B) They act as catalysts to assist energy metabolism. (... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Why is an adequate intake of vitamins important in an athlete’s diet? (A) They are energy rich nutrients - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 8 - 2015 - Paper 1
Step 1
Why is an adequate intake of vitamins important in an athlete’s diet?
Answer
Vitamins play a crucial role in an athlete's diet primarily because they act as catalysts to assist with energy metabolism. This means they help in the conversion of nutrients into energy, which is vital for peak athletic performance.
Option (B) specifically highlights the importance of vitamins in metabolic processes, where they facilitate reactions essential for converting carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into usable energy.
In contrast, the other options are either incorrect or misrepresent the role of vitamins in an athlete's diet. For instance:
- (A) Vitamins are not energy-rich nutrients. They do not provide calories like macronutrients.
- (C) While vitamins can support overall health and impact red blood cell function, they do not directly increase oxygen-carrying capacity. This is more closely related to iron levels and hemoglobin in the blood.
- (D) While some vitamins can support bone health, particularly when combined with minerals like calcium, the restoration of bone density is not their main function, especially in the context of load-bearing exercises.
Thus, the correct response is (B).