Sweat is a natural function of the human body that allows our system to cool itself off with a unique process. All humans are born with about 2-4 million sweat glands, but most of them are not very active until we approach puberty. Not all mammals have sweat glands, so they are something fairly unique to humans. Everyone has sweat glands, including men, women, and children. How much you sweat depends largely on how many sweat glands you have as well as your body’s own unique chemistry. Women tend to have more sweat glands than men, but men’s tend to be more active, so they usually sweat the most.
Everyone sweats. Perspiration can be caused by a myriad of reasons, from anxiety and genetics to high temperatures, and also exertion such as exercise. We can even sweat when eating certain foods! Other factors that can induce sweating include alcohol, caffeine, diseases or conditions such as low blood sugar or thyroid or other gland problems, infection, and medications, just to name a few.
What happens to our body during perspiration? There are a few things that occur when we sweat, and these common reactions can be exaggerated during different situations. Perspiration is a natural process our brain initiates most often to cool itself or regulate body temperature. Saline fluids, composed mostly of water but also of minerals and a small amount of waste product, are excreted through the sweat glands and the pores in our skin. This process pulls blood away from the body’s core and toward the surface of the skin, and then the sweat evaporates. This transfer from liquid to vapor requires heat energy, which is drawn from the surrounding atmosphere, namely the body. Heat is pulled out of the blood and skin, thus cooling the body.
Sweating, on a small scale, can burn calories and improve cardiovascular activity. Perspiring requires energy and speeds the heart rate, which requires the body to burn calories. As stated earlier, different degrees of similar reactions can occur during the sweating process. For example, when sweating from being nervous, your heart might beat faster than when sweating from eating a hot pepper, although the heart rate tends to accelerate in both situations.
Deep sweating helps the body cleanse itself and replace older dead cells. Sweat clears bacteria out of surface layers of the skin and from the sweat ducts. The process of sweating also helps improve circulation from the blood vessels dilating, and gives the skin a fresh look and feel. It also helps to remove a small amount of toxins from our body, such as urea, nickel, excess zinc, ammonia, and other minerals and chemicals our body might have absorbed from the environment or from food or drink we’ve ingested. Sweat does not have an offensive odor until it is released from the body and gets a chance to react with bacteria on the surface and in the air.
Excessive perspiration is called hyperhidrosis, and is not usually much cause for alarm. Hot beverages, alcohol, certain spicy foods, high temperatures, and other factors can bring on more sweat than usual for a person. To remain hydrated, simply drink some water or beverages containing electrolytes. However, sometimes frequent excessive sweating can be caused by an underlying condition. If the sweat smells like ammonia or another atypical odor, or if sweat is accompanied by fever, weight loss, chest pain, very rapid heartbeat, or anything else that seems unusual, you should certainly consult your medical professional. Also, with this condition, if proper hygiene is not followed, sweat can build up and actually gather more bacteria and cause infections and other complications. Odor can also be a result of this condition.
On the other hand, some people have a condition where they do not produce enough sweat, which is called anhidrosis. This can be caused by genetics, drug use, sweat gland infections, dehydration, and other factors. This condition can be very dangerous, as the body cannot naturally cool itself enough and must be kept in cooler temperatures or require frequent cool baths. Complications can include heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which are both potentially very dangerous conditions.
Obviously we all sweat, and it’s a natural and necessary mechanism that occurs on its own. There is no need to be ashamed of sweating, but some people may feel that they perspire more than others and be ashamed, which may result in them actually sweating more from the anxiety. There are not usually any concerns someone should have when they are sweating, even during heavy perspiration, as long as they remain hydrated. However, if you are warm and usually sweat, but seem to not be sweating at all or a “normal” amount, you should consult a physician. Here’s to the hot summer! Go sweat — and enjoy it!
Sources:
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/perspiration.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspiration
http://www.egodevelopment.com/what-your-sweat-says-about-you/
http://www.saunatec.com/Lifestyle/HealthWellness.htm
http://www.hair-n-skin-care.com/skin-infections/skin-sweating-disorder.html
