Preferred salt levels and salt taste acuity in human subjects after ingestion of untasted salt

Exercise Increases the Preference for Salt in Humans

“…Our results reinforce previous indications that the taste of salt becomes more attractive to humans as bodily salt levels diminish (Beauchamp et al, 1990;Leshem & Rudoy, 1997;Takamata et al, 1994), and together with the report that sodium load decreases salt preference (Huggins et al, 1992), they suggest physiological regulation of salt preference in humans.…”

“…Sodium deficient humans have generally failed to show a robust increase in salt intake after severe sodium restriction (McCance, 1936), repeated natriuretic treatment (Beauchamp et al, 1990) or clinical sodium deficiency (Verbalis, 1990). On the other hand, they do increase salt preference after sodium loss by dialysis (Leshem & Rudoy, 1997) or after exercise in heat with sodium restriction (Takamata et al, 1994) and they reduce salt intake after insensible sodium preload (Huggins et al, 1992).…”

“…Rehydration was then permitted but sodium deprivation was continued for a further 23 h. Palatability of NaCl solution (1 ) increased 3 h after exercise and persisted at least until 23 h, but it is unclear whether sodium palatability was influenced by exercise, by hypotonicity, by the severe and extended sodium deprivation, by dissipation of neophobia to a novel solution (salt in water) with repeated testing (eight tests of 10 concentrations during 30 h) or by beliefs about the need for salt after exertion, since there were no control groups. Moreover, palatability of NaCl in water may not be a good measure of sodium preference in humans (Huggins et al, 1992;Pangborn & Pecore, 1982).…”

Encapsulated sodium supplementation of 4weeks does not alter salt taste preferences in a controlled low sodium and low potassium diet

“…This difference may be explained by the context of low sodium diet or by the use of slow-release sodium capsules in the study of Huggins et al (1992). Slow-release sodium capsules lead to constantly higher levels of sodium, which may affect salt taste responses.…”

“…Studies that have investigated effects of sodium supplementation (i.e., untasted salt) on taste responses to salt in healthy adults showed either no effect (Bertino et al, 1986), or a preference shift to lower salt concentrations and an increase in recognition threshold for salt (Huggins, Di Nicolantonio, & Morgan, 1992). This difference may be explained by the context of low sodium diet or by the use of slow-release sodium capsules in the study of Huggins et al (1992).…”