What You Didn’t Know About Your Sweat

It’s August and it’s HOT! And it’s the month in which we usually sweat the most.

• The sweat that oozes from your pores is actually a weak version of pee, made up of the same components as urine: water, salts, and urea. It also contains a chemical that is the same as wasp poison, and another chemical that is similar to what skunks spray.
• Some unfortunate people’s bodies lack a particular enzyme that absorbs a smelly protein made by bacteria in the stomach. As a result of this deficiency, these people have a horrible rotten-fish odor that constantly seeps out in their sweat.Sweating is one of the ways we regulate our body temperature — humans rely on the evaporation of sweat to protect the body against a hot environment. Most other animals rely on insulation or panting.
• Sweating of the body and hands when we are anxious may occur for a reason — to help us escape from enemies if they try to grab us
• Sweat from some areas of the body contains scents, called pheromones, that send secret signals to other people.
•  The body has approximately 2 to 4 million sweat glands weighing a total of approximately 3 ounces.
•  The most concentrated area of sweat glands is on the bottom of our feet while the least concentrated area of sweat glands is on our back.

Women have more sweat glands than men, but men’s are more active.

Susan Saunders 8/3/20