Everything You Didn't Know About Sweat

Every person’s body is different. You’ll see some people at the gym dripping in sweat and others will only have tiny sweat stains under their arms. Regardless of how you sweat, it’s important to understand the basic science behind it so you can better your health.Let’s begin with the most simple question in the matter: What is sweat?Otherwise known as perspiration, Merriam-Webster defines it as “the clear liquid that forms on your skin when you are hot or nervous.” Well, you can’t get any more obvious than that. Let’s go more in depth.Have you ever gotten a few drops of your own sweat in your mouth? Tasted kind of salty, huh? This is because sweat is made up of water, salt, bits of other minerals, and electrolytes. That's why it's recommended to drink sports drinks after a hard workout. Some people also think that sweating excessively can rid your body of toxins. Sorry, but that’s just not true.Sweat comes from your sweat glands. You can probably already guess that some of those are located in the armpits, forehead and back. However, sweat glands are actually located throughout your entire body. Yes, this means you even have sweat glands on the soles of your feet.

There are two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands are located nearly everywhere. These respond when your body feels overheated. The odorless sweat released from them is designed to cool off your body. Apocrine glands are found in your hair follicles. These suckers are the cause of the embarrassing pit stains right before a big date. These glands respond to both heat and heightened emotions. This type of sweat is broken down by the bacteria on your skin so it has a terrible smell.Unfortunately, there’s no natural way to control the amount of sweat that your body releases. It’s all genetic. Some people are lucky and sweat a few drops after a 5-mile run whereas others looks like they just jumped in a pool.Now, you may be asking yourself, is it possible to sweat too much? While the average amount of sweat that people release is about four cups a day, it’s not damaging to your health to sweat more than that. Though it can be damaging to your social life. The best way to combat overactive sweat glands is to use an aluminum-based deodorant. Although it is tempting to get your sweat glands surgically removed, this can be detrimental to your health. The sweat released from your body while exercising lets you know how much your body can take. Without sweat, you’ll keep working out and may be at risk of fainting. Be mindful of your sweat so you can stay healthy.Along with your routine workouts, it’s good to get routine imaging scans to ensure your body is disease-free. The Las Vegas radiology professionals at Steinberg Diagnostic will provide quality care during your annual scans. For more information about desert radiology in Las Vegas, contact 702.732.6000.