Experimental zinc depletion and altered taste perception for NaCl in young adult males
1981
Wright, Ann Larsen | King, Janet C. | Baer, Marion Taylor | Citron, L. Jay
Zinc depletion altered taste perception for saltiness, but not bitterness, in 5 healthy young men fed basal (15 mg Zn/day) or zinc-depleted (0.25 mg Zn/day) diets. Intensities of 5 NaCl (salty) solutions and 5 urea (bitter) solutions of different molar concentrations were rated using a 17 point scale. During zinc depletion, intensity ratings for moderately salty solutions (75 and 150 mM) were significantly lower than ratings from subjects on the basal diet. Changed taste perception was unrelated to salivary zinc content, changes in plasma zinc accompanying depletion, or to the length of time (4-9 weeks) needed to bring about depletion. These results suggest that experimental zinc depletion may produce alterations in taste. Repletion data in 3 subjects also indicate that these changes are reversible. Thus taste bud sensitivity to the different tastes appears to respond differently to zinc depletion.
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