Sweat Facts

 During exercise, the heat produced by your muscles exceeds the heat released by the body, and body temperature rises. This rise in body temperature causes you to sweat more and there is more blood flow to the skin (causing you to look flushed).  Sweat is good! 

• Human feet can produce a pint of sweat per day.
• Sweat or perspiration consists of water, salt, potassium and waste materials.
• The smell of your sweat is influenced by what you eat.  Hmmm.... 
• We do not sweat continuously. Small quantities of sweat are excreted about six or seven times a minute.
• Only 1% of all perspiration moisture originates from your armpits, but this part of the body is so badly ventilated that it evaporates less quickly than other parts.
• The human body has approximately 2 - 4 million sweat glands found all over the body, except on the nails, ears and lips.
• 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.
• Sweat glands need time to acclimate. A person who hasn't been in a hot climate for a while can produce about 1 liter of sweat an hour. After about six weeks of hot weather he or she will be able to produce two to three times that amount.
• Losing excessive amounts of sweat can quickly dehydrate you, leading to circulatory problems, kidney failure and heat stroke.
• The Gatorade Sports Science Institute has found that in conditions of 85 degrees and 40 percent humidity a runner will lose 2 to 4 pounds of sweat an hour.
• Sweat is made from fluid in your blood, which means that the more you sweat, the thicker your blood becomes and the harder your heart has to work to pump it.
• One -two hours before exerting yourself in the heat, drink 16 ounces of water or sports drink.  Take in between 5 and 12 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes while working or exercising.
  
  Stay hydrated! Try products like Nuun, Heed, or Skratch to stay hydrated, and to keep electrolytes moving through your system.  Too much water can flush your system of all the good stuff that gives you the energy to have a good workout.