Photo AI
Why would athletes choose to consume caffeine to enhance performance in a high intensity activity of short duration? (A) To increase water retention (B) To increase focus and attention (C) To increase synthesis of stored glycogen (D) To increase metabolism of essential vitamins and minerals - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 16 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 16
Why would athletes choose to consume caffeine to enhance performance in a high intensity activity of short duration? (A) To increase water retention (B) To increase ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Why would athletes choose to consume caffeine to enhance performance in a high intensity activity of short duration? (A) To increase water retention (B) To increase focus and attention (C) To increase synthesis of stored glycogen (D) To increase metabolism of essential vitamins and minerals - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 16 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
To increase focus and attention
Answer
Athletes often choose to consume caffeine primarily to enhance their focus and attention during high-intensity activities. Caffeine is a well-known stimulant that increases the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals improve alertness and reduce perceived effort, allowing athletes to perform better in demanding conditions.
Step 2
To consider other options
Answer
While the other options (A, C, and D) have some relation to physiological processes, they are not the primary reasons athletes use caffeine to enhance performance. Increasing water retention is counterproductive, synthesizing stored glycogen is more relevant for endurance activities and not short bursts, and metabolism of vitamins and minerals does not directly assist in performance enhancement.