Minerals and vitamin-A status in relation to gustatory functions for salt in healthy female college students.

Twenty-five healthy female college students were studied for the gustatory function tests for salt (NaCl) and some selected biochemical parameters including plasma retinol and plasma retinol-binding protein (PRBP). Plasma zinc (PZn) and retinol levels were comparable with those of good responders in tests of discrimination between two levels of NaCl in the previous report, but PRBP was lower in the present subjects. From the results of correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis, the individual student's discriminability of NaCl concentrations was related to the parameters regarding metabolic status of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and selenium (Se). The detection threshold of NaCl concentration ranged from 1 to 60 mmol/liter and was related to PRBP. Plasma Zn was significantly positively correlated with both plasma retinol and PRBP, but significantly negatively correlated only for the detection threshold of NaCl concentration. On the basis of these results, the importance of vitamin-A nutrition and the relation of minerals such as Na, Ca, Mg, and Zn to the gustatory functions of NaCl was confirmed and a possible participation of Se to the functions was suggested.