Sweating has an important meaning for the human organism, even if it is often perceived as unpleasant in warmth and physical exercise. However, sweat is perceived by most people as a nuisance and is combated by various means. Excessive sweat production is not only annoying, but can also be a first sign of disease.
What is sweating?
Sweating has an important meaning for the human organism, even if it is often perceived as unpleasant in heat and physical exercise. The medical profession refers to sweat as the emission of a clear bodily secretion from the sweat glands of the same name. Two types of sweat glands are distributed over the body. The secreted fluids differ from each other in appearance and function. Eccrine sweat glands are distributed over the entire body in humans. The sweat produced is colorless and odorless and consists of 99% water. It also contains lactate, urea and amino acids as well as various electrolytes. Anyone who has licked their lips after sweaty activities knows about the acidic pH of sweat. The value is around 4.5. Apocrine sweat glands, on the other hand, are located in the genital and armpit areas as well as the area of the nipples. These secrete an almost pH-neutral, rather milky secretion containing lipids and proteins. The typical odor of sweat is not present in fresh sweat and only develops when fatty acids are broken down. Various endogenous bacteria are responsible for this. For hormonal reasons, however, fresh sweat can develop an odor of its own in pubescents. As a rule, however, this phenomenon ceases at the end of puberty.
Function and task
The task of sweating is, on the one hand, temperature regulation, on the other hand, sweat has a signaling effect in various situations in life. In addition, substances are transported out of the body via sweating. Sweating – known as perspiration – has the function of regulating body temperature and releasing heat. The layer of sweat on the skin provides cooling and protects against overheating. That’s why heavy sweating is normal at the height of summer. On average, a person at normal temperature and without physical exertion already loses up to 200 ml of sweat a day. The eccrine glands can produce up to 14 l of sweat a day. Therefore, at high temperatures or during sports, increased fluid intake is essential to compensate for fluid loss and prevent circulatory problems. Normal evaporation on the surface of the skin, coupled with the water vapor-saturated air we breathe, causes a daily fluid loss of up to one liter of water per day. The body also produces invisible sweat, which keeps the skin moist and is responsible for maintaining the skin’s protective acid mantle. Another function of sweat is its signaling effect. Sexual scents (pheromones) are transported to the outside during sweating. These scents supposedly promote the sexual arousal of the partner and thus benefit reproduction. To date, however, it has not been proven to what extent this ability is still pronounced. The effect of sweat production has nevertheless been proven to affect the behavior of people in the immediate environment. For example, fear sweat is said to trigger compassion in fellow human beings. According to researchers, in a test run, test subjects behaved with more caution toward the person affected. Another signal effect of sweating is caused by stress. In stressful situations, the body emits sweat, which contains adrenaline. The processes that take place in the body in the meantime lead to the higher performance of the muscles. The apocrine sweat glands are also involved in emotional stress reactions that lead to sweating. According to the assumption of scientists, the ejected apocrine rumors control non-verbal communication. In some cases, however, heavy sweating may indicate an imbalance in the body or disease. Excessive sweating should be discussed with a doctor.
Diseases and ailments
Every body is different. Thus, increased sweat production does not always have to have physical causes. It may well be hormonal or emotional. However, heavy sweating is just as much a possible symptom of various diseases. The term for this abnormality is hyperhidrosis. On the one hand, this can only occur during the day, but on the other hand, it can also occur as night sweats.In some cases, there is no identifiable physical cause behind hyperhidrosis. Nevertheless, it is perceived as a burden for those affected and triggers psychological stress in everyday life, which can exacerbate the symptoms. The situation is similar with night sweats. It, too, can have harmless causes. In addition to excessively high room temperature, stress and anxiety are recurrent causes of night sweats. Sometimes those affected have to change their clothes or even bed linen and sheets at night without knowing an obvious trigger. Triggers can be disturbed sleeping habits, hormonal changes or medication. But infectious diseases, tuberculosis, some autoimmune diseases or various tumors are also associated with night sweats. As a rule, however, other symptoms are also present that indicate the presence of these diseases. In general, increased sweating can also indicate thyroid disorders, anxiety and nervous disorders, and other metabolic diseases. In addition, cold sweat can be a serious alarm signal. If sudden cold sweats occur along with radiating chest pain, shortness of breath and nausea, 911 should be called immediately. This may be a heart attack, where every second counts. Depending on the accompanying symptoms, it is always advisable to consult a doctor in the event of excessive sweating. Very often harmless causes are the reason. A conversation with the patient is often sufficient to make an initial assumption. From case to case, the physician will consult other specialists in order to combat the complaints. In addition to the interview, an overall physical check is useful to rule out various diseases.
