How Much Do You Know About the Science of Sweat?

When it’s hot or you’re working out, you sweat. What else could you possibly need to know about perspiration?

A lot, especially if you find yourself sweating more than the average person. The science behind sweat is more complex than you might realize. Here are a few facts you may not have known.

• The average person has between two million and four million sweat glands acting as the body’s coolant system to prevent it from overheating.
• We do not have any sweat glands on our nails, ears, or lips.
• Our sweat glands are most concentrated on the bottoms of our feet and least concentrated on our backs.
• Only 1% of all sweat originates in the armpits; however, this part of the body is poorly ventilated, so the perspiration evaporates at a slower rate than other body parts.
• Sweat contains water, salt, potassium, and the body’s waste materials.
• Our feet can generate a pint of sweat each day.
• The average person excretes a small amount of sweat about seven times per minute.
• Sweat is not actually yellow. Yellow sweat stains are caused by the body’s apocrine glands, which excrete proteins and fatty acids.
• Sweat is odorless. Perspiration gets its distinct odor when it mixes with bacteria on the skin.
• Women’s bodies have more sweat glands than men’s; however, men sweat about 40% more than women and their sweat is slightly saltier.
• A hippo’s sweat is red. It protects them from the sun and destroys bacteria on their skin.
• Horses and primates have “armpits” that produce sweat much like ours.
• Cows perspire through their noses.
• Approximately eight million Americans suffer from an excessive sweating problem called hyperhidrosis, which causes them to sweat up to five times as much as the average person.
• Between 30% and 50% of patients with hyperhidrosis have another family member afflicted by the condition, indicating that there may be a genetic predisposition.
• People with hyperhidrosis can control excessive sweating with the use of an iontophoresis machine, which shuts down the sweat glands.

Sweating is generally good for you, but sweating too much can be dangerous. Sweat is made from fluid in your blood, which means that when you sweat more, your blood becomes thicker, which puts more strain on your heart. Sweating too much can also cause dehydration, leading to heat stroke and kidney failure. Make sure you always stay hydrated and if you believe you may have an excessive sweating problem, talk to your doctor immediately.