Human Physiology

Study adds to understanding of sense of taste for saltiness

Published in Health and Medicine Week, July 28th, 2003

Saltiness often enhances our enjoyment of certain foods: think French fries or a Margarita. But salt is an essential nutrient for humans and other animals, and far from being a trivial matter of taste, the ability to detect salt is critical for survival.

A University of Iowa study provides insight on how humans and other animals are able to detect salt. The study appeared in the July 3, 2003, issue of Neuron.

"Given that salt is essential for survival, it is not surprising that animals have developed the ability to detect salt, even at low concentrations. This sense allows them to seek out, and then consume salt," said Michael Welsh, MD, the...

Want to see the full article?

Purchase this article for only $3.00

We're a pay-per-view site for premium content. If you'd like to purchase this article, it's only $3.00.

Welcome to NewsRx!

Learn more about a six-week, no-risk free trial of Health and Medicine Week

Source: Health and Medicine Week (2003-07-28)

NewsRx is Social

Top Medical Newsletters

Awards

Best Health/Healthcare Content, 2012
Best Health/Healthcare Content, 2011
Best e-Business Site, 2010
Best e-Business Site, 2009
Best e-Business Site, 2008
Best e-Business Site, 2007
Best e-Business Site, 2006
Best Healthcare Content, 2005
Best Overall Internet Site, 2005
Best Interactive Site, 2005

Facts & Stats

NewsRx also is available at LexisNexis, Gale, ProQuest, Factiva, Dialog, Thomson Reuters, NewsEdge, and Dow Jones.

Google 2010 PageRank: #2 Among Top Health News and Media Publications
Google 2010 PageRank: #2 Among Top Science Publications in Biology/Physiology
Google 2010 PageRank: #2 Among Top News and Media for the Business of Pharmaceuticals
Amazon's Alexa 2010 PageRank: #2 News and Media Site for the Pharmaceutical Industry