Sweat production
The basic secretion (basic amount) of sweat, i.e. the amount of sweat that is always produced regardless of external conditions, is about 100 to 200 ml per day in humans. However, this volume can be strongly influenced by various factors and therefore vary.
Causes for increased perspiration
The most important stimulus for increased secretion of sweat is probably a high ambient temperature. Other triggers for stimulating the production of sweat are physical exertion and psychological conditions such as stress or excitement. The high adaptability of the sweat glands means that in the presence of such influences, the amount of sweat produced can rise to 2 liters per hour.
The concentration of salt is then reduced more and more to protect the body from excessive salt loss. At the nervous level, the increased sweat production can be explained by increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Via certain transmitters, the sympathetic nervous system acts on the sweat glands and stimulates them to secrete salt.
Importance of sweat for the body
Sweat fulfils several tasks on the human body. The most important one is the regulation of body temperature. As sweat is secreted from the glands to the surface of the skin, it is always covered by a thin film of liquid at high ambient temperatures.This can now evaporate, i.e. change from a liquid state to water vapor, which causes the body to lose a large amount of energy and thus heat, which leads to the so-called evaporative cooling.
Dripping sweat is pointless with regard to this function. Apart from the sweating that we notice on the skin (Perspiratio sensibilis), there is also the unnoticed form of “sweating” (Perspiratio insensibilis), for example the evaporation of liquid via the air we breathe (i.e. via mucous membranes). Since sweat spreads over the skin like a film, it acts as an acid mantle thanks to its acid pH value and thus helps to prevent pathogens such as bacteria or viruses from entering the body.
In addition, sweat also has an important signal effect. It contains certain fragrances. These include sex attractants (pheromones), which contribute to sexual arousal, but also other fragrances that presumably have a warning function during emotional sweating.
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