7 Things You Didn't Know About Why You Sweat In The Gym...
During exercise, heart rate and blood pressure increase, which in turn causes the body to pump out more sweat, preventing your body from overheating. Sweating may not be very glamorous but have you ever wondered why it is that you’re sweating more (or less) than your fit friends?
The amount you sweat is dependent on so many factors, including diet, body size, environment, and genetics. Glance around any gym, and you’ll see all kinds of perspiration. Some exercisers will be drenched from head to toe, while others will have nary a drop of sweat on the brow.
So, whether you’re stressed, overheated or working out, sweat has a purpose. And here’s why:
- Everyone has between 2 and 5 million sweat glands spread across the body.
- The fitter you are, the sooner you may start to sweat during exercise. This is because your body recognizes the need to cool you off faster so you can work out longer.
- Women have more sweat glands than men, but men’s sweat glands actually produce more sweat than women’s.
- It is possible to sweat too much. Overactive sweat glands (also known as hyperhidrosis) can be caused by certain medications or medical conditions and can even lead to dehydration.
- It’s not just how much you sweat that matters, but also what your sweat consists of. Some people have salty sweat. If your sweat stings your eyes or stings if it trickles into a cut, tastes salty or leaves white streaks on your skin or clothes after exercising, you're a salty sweater.
- During intense exercise in the heat, athletes can sweat off 2 to 6% of their body weight.
- There is a difference between stress sweat and regular sweat. Regular sweat is comprised of water, salt and potassium, and helps cool the body down as it evaporates. Stress sweat is released by a different gland and is comprised of fatty acids and proteins. Stress sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly as regular sweat and can develop an odour when it combines with bacteria on the skin.