Hemodialysis increases the preference for salt in soup.

Eighteen hemodialysis patients rated 7 concentrations of salt in soup immediately before dialysis and 24 h later. Preference ratings were higher after dialysis. Patients over 65 years old did not increase their ratings. Hypertensive patients increased their preference for salt after dialysis like normotensives, but rated lower concentrations of salt as more intense and were less able to discriminate the intensity of salt taste. The findings suggest that humans may respond to reductions in bodily sodium with a delayed increase in preference for salt.