We experience it as an unpleasant physical phenomenon, sometimes with an unpleasant smell. On the first date, your palms will probably sweat just as the person you are talking to wants to take your hand. At a job interview, you will probably break into a sweat when you say the first sentence. Even in the context of physical activity, heavy sweat can be an unpleasant phenomenon.
But we must know that sweat has its purpose, it acts as a barometer or stress indicator, it shows our health, and sometimes it can also be a warning - that we don't sweat and thus expel toxins from the body, who knows what kind of health we would have. Although we are all familiar with sweating, we rarely understand what actually happens and why. In order for you to know more, we bring interesting facts about sweat that are explained by experts in the magazine Experience life.
Why do we sweat?
Like it or not, we cannot live without sweat because it protects the body from overheating. When the body temperature rises, the thermostat in the brain (hypothalamus) signals the sweat glands to activate. Sweat appears on the surface of the skin through the pores, and it will evaporate in contact with the air and thus cool you down. When we exercise, we often sweat a lot, but sweating can also be caused by hot air or situations that make us nervous or angry.
What exactly is sweat?
You must have noticed that sweat can be a little salty, and it is mostly water, with a small proportion of fat and electrolytes. The difference is also in the gland from which sweat is released - eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands are found all over the body, and are concentrated in the area of the forehead, palms and soles. These glands release a clear fluid when you exercise or feel hot. That sweat has no smell. If your feet have an unpleasant smell, it may be the bacteria that have developed there. The apocrine glands, on the other hand, produce a liquid that is responsible for the unpleasant smell. We often find them in areas such as hair follicles, underarms or intimate areas. Sweat itself has no smell, but when it comes into contact with the millions of bacteria that live on the skin's surface, things change.
Why does sweat have an unpleasant smell when we are stressed?
Sweat is produced when we are under a lot of stress, in the apocrine glands, which are also responsible for the unpleasant smell. It is not yet clear what exactly causes sweating in stressful situations, but it is associated with the release of adrenaline in such situations. Stress can cause a vicious cycle of sweating – when you see yourself sweating profusely, anxiety can only increase.
Why do some people sweat more than others?
You can thank your parents for that, because genetics is an important factor in this case and determines exactly how much you sweat and how many sweat glands you have. Factors such as gender, health status and body weight also play a role. People who have more kilos will also sweat more during physical activity because there is a larger body mass that needs to be cooled.
How many sweat glands do we have?
We are born with approximately two to four million sweat glands located all over the body, except, for example, on the lips.
Does the way we sweat change with age?
You know how nice little babies smell? The reason is that their apocrine glands are not yet active. Once they hit puberty, they start to function and that's when body odor becomes a problem.
Another change occurs in middle age, when about 75 percent of women experience "hot flashes" and profuse sweating, and this occurs in premenopause or menopause. It is believed that the occurrence of heavy sweating occurs due to changes in the hormonal picture. These problems can occur for several years, but recent data show that they can last much longer, and even for a decade. Some doctors will prescribe hormone therapy to ease the symptoms, but many women still want to go through that period without help, the Ordinacija reports.
Studies have shown that quitting smoking, losing excess weight or using certain herbal drinks can help.
What does the smell of sweat reveal about our emotions?
Sweat can reveal not-so-good things about us: one study found that stress-induced sweat in women can make men less attractive, perceived as distrustful and less competent.
Another study showed that we can detect other people's feelings through sweat. In fact, it is believed that other people's sweat can also cause the appearance of different emotions in the person who smells it.
Why do some people sweat excessively?
Approximately 3 percent of the world's population has hyperhidrosis, which causes excessive sweating, even five times more than the average. Lisa Peretti, director of the Center for Hyperhidrosis, believes that the shame of this fact can be extremely strong, but fortunately today there are treatments that work, and doctors understand the phenomenon better.
Should we be concerned if the smell of sweat changes?
It is normal for foods like garlic to change the smell of sweat due to a chemical that comes out of the body directly through the pores, but strong changes can sometimes reveal health problems.
Trimethylaminuria is a rare genetic disorder that will give off the smell of rotten eggs or fish. Scientists have also linked certain body odors to conditions such as kidney disease, schizophrenia, or a delusional state where the patient thinks he has bad body odor, but actually doesn't. These conditions are rare.
Why do some clothes smell awful when we sweat?
A study published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology shows that polyester will always smell worse after sweating because it does not allow air to pass through and is a breeding ground for bacterial growth. When they studied cotton, they concluded that different bacteria grow on different materials. Like natural cotton, wool will also smell better and even prevent the development of bacteria, and those that do develop are odorless.
Exercise clothes are often made of synthetic material, which will absorb sweat but also make us smell bad. Special detergents can help break down oils that, in combination with bacteria, cause unpleasant odors.
Does food affect the appearance of unpleasant sweat?
Just like hot air, spicy food can raise body temperature and thus affect receptors on the skin that tell the nervous system to start cooling down by producing sweat. Caffeine, hot peppers, nicotine and certain medications can activate the sweat glands. Large amounts of alcohol can also do the same by affecting the heart rate and dilating the blood vessels in the skin. Sometimes there is a link with conditions such as diabetes or Parkinson's disease, when trauma to the parotid gland occurs in most cases.
What are the benefits of sweating?
In addition to regulating body temperature, it has been shown to rid us of toxins, speed up circulation and clean pores.
Many experts point out that sweating is an important part of maintaining body temperature, but the amount of toxins that are excreted in this way is very small when compared to what the kidneys and liver do.
The science of sweating
There are several factors that can affect body odor. People living in Asia have a more pleasant smell of sweat. The study showed that the consumption of fatty meat can affect the unpleasant smell of sweat. Some people, unfortunately, have problems with unpleasant foot odor, all due to an overgrowth of bacteria. Science says that the smell of sweat in twins is always identical, even if they don't eat the same foods.
If the wax in your ear is sticky and yellow, you will probably have a stronger sweat odor, and if it is whitish in color, the smell of sweat should not be unpleasant.
Sweating and the difference between the sexes
There is a difference between sweating in different genders because they have different microbes.
Women:
A physically inactive woman will not sweat as much as one who is active, because a higher body temperature is needed for the process to occur. The menstrual cycle will also determine how much a woman will sweat, and when ovulation occurs, the body temperature is on the rise and so is increased sweating. Menopause can also cause excessive sweating. Women have dense sweat glands, but they sweat less. It has also been proven that women will smell sweat more easily.
Men:
They produce about four times more sweat than women, and this happens because of testosterone and the fact that the surface of the body is often larger, and it needs to be cooled. Research shows that the smell of men's sweat increases hormone levels in women, which will boost attraction and raise cortisol levels. It has been proven that as many as 25 fragrances can cover the smell of sweat in women, and only nine in men.
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