MSc Sports and Exercise Medicine

Module 2 - Exercise Physiology, Metabolism and Nutrition

Section A - Nutrition in health and exercise

Aims and objectives:

To provide students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of:

• the principles of nutrition;
• the essential nutrients, their metabolism and the energy requirements of exercise;
• the influence that dietary manipulation/management has on (a) resting metabolism and (b) exercise metabolism and performance;
• Nutrient-gene interactions in healthy humans.

Intended learning outcomes:

Students will acquire a working knowledge of:

• the function of micro and macro-nutrients and will be able to relate this knowledge to the needs of the active individual;
• the relative merits of manipulating dietary and fluid intake before, during and after exercise;
• the key nutrient-gene interactions underlying adaptations to dietary alterations in humans.

Assessment:

• End of section written examination.

Section B - Muscle physiology and metabolism

Aims and objectives:

To enable students to develop a strong understanding of:

• the central roles that muscle metabolism and muscle mass play in deciding muscle functional outcomes in health and disease;
• physiological integration and disease.

Intended learning outcomes:

Students will acquire a working knowledge of:

• the impact of muscle physiology (structure, composition, mass) and metabolism on its function;
• the impact that exercise training, nutrition and pharmacological interventions have upon muscle metabolism, mass and functional outcomes;
• the mechanisms by which these effects are achieved in health and dysregulated in disease.

Assessment:

End of section written examination.