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Subjects · Leaving Cert Physical Education

Leaving Cert Physical Education: Sports supplements

How often Sports supplements comes up on the Physical Education papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 4 of the last 5 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 4 of the last 5 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Sports supplements, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Sports supplements.

(a)Creatine supplementation mainly benefits?
  1. Marathon running economy
  2. Repeated short, maximal efforts
  3. Flexibility
(b)A key challenge of using any sports supplement?
  1. They never have any effect
  2. They are always illegal in sport
  3. Contamination with banned substances
(c)Sodium bicarbonate is taken to?
  1. Buffer acid in high-intensity efforts
  2. Improve sleep quality
  3. Increase muscle glycogen stores
Show the answers

(a) Repeated short, maximal efforts

(b) Contamination with banned substances

(c) Buffer acid in high-intensity efforts

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Sports supplements.

Higher Level

Asked on 4 of the last 5 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q10
2024Q16
2023Q15
2022Not asked
2021Q18

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Sports supplements questions

Sports supplements, 2 marks

A sports supplement is best described as?

  1. A banned drug taken to enhance performance illegally in sport
  2. A large meal eaten a few hours before a match
  3. A product taken on top of normal diet to aid performance
Show the answer

A product taken on top of normal diet to aid performance

Supplements are extra products, such as creatine or caffeine, taken in addition to a normal diet. Most are legal, but contamination is a risk.

Sports supplements, 3 marks

Why should a young athlete speak to a qualified professional before taking a supplement?

  1. To get a TUE for the supplement
  2. To weigh need, safety and doping risk
  3. Supplements are always banned
Show the answer

To weigh need, safety and doping risk

A doctor or sports dietitian can judge if a supplement is needed, safe and effective, and advise on batch-tested products to lower the doping risk.

Sports supplements, 2 marks

Which supplement raises phosphocreatine stores in muscle?

  1. Creatine
  2. Caffeine
  3. Nitrate
Show the answer

Creatine

Creatine loading raises phosphocreatine in muscle, so the ATP-PC system can resynthesise ATP for longer in repeated maximal efforts.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 4 of the last 5 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Q14, Q18
2023Q5
2022Q18
2021Q15

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Sports supplements questions

Sports supplements, 3 marks

Which supplement helps muscles cope with acid in hard efforts of 1 to 4 minutes, like a 400 m race?

  1. Protein powder
  2. Fish oil
  3. Beta-alanine
Show the answer

Beta-alanine

Beta-alanine raises carnosine in muscle. Carnosine soaks up acid, so the burning feeling and fatigue come later.

Sports supplements, 3 marks

Creatine helps which energy system?

  1. Lactic acid system
  2. ATP-PC system
  3. Aerobic system
Show the answer

ATP-PC system

Creatine raises phosphocreatine in muscle, the fuel for short, all-out efforts of up to about 10 seconds.

Sports supplements, 2 marks

Which is a side effect of too much caffeine?

  1. Trouble sleeping and feeling jittery
  2. Stronger bones and better sleep
  3. A much slower, steadier heart rate at rest
Show the answer

Trouble sleeping and feeling jittery

Caffeine is a stimulant. Too much can cause poor sleep, shaky hands, a fast heart rate and an upset stomach.

Other Physical Education topics

All of Leaving Cert Physical Education