When it's hot, the feeling of sweating all over your body is really too uncomfortable, slimy, and your clothes are attached to your body.
But some people say: sweating more is actually good, detoxification and weight loss are all benefits, just save the money of sweat steaming.
Is this really the case?
(Source: soogif)
In our brains, there is an "air conditioning remote control", which is the hypothalamus, which is the center of thermoregulation.
When the ambient temperature is low, it commands brown adipose tissue to produce heat, skeletal muscles to shudder (shiver when feeling cold), constrict blood vessels, and turn on "thermogenic mode" [1].
When the ambient temperature is high, it will activate the "refrigeration mode" by accelerating the evaporation of water and expanding blood vessels, and the sweat glands are the most obedient "creeps", which will sweat desperately, and when the sweat evaporates, it will take away the heat and cool the body [1].
In addition to cooling down, sweating also charges in many areas and contributes to the harmonious development of the body. For example, it can maintain skin health and balance trace elements in the body [2].
The ideal is very full, the reality is very bone. Let's take a look at them one by one.
1. Can sweating more detoxify?
It is said that sweat can accelerate the discharge of toxins in the human body, and some people want to rely on more sweating to prevent diseases and cure diseases. This sounds appealing, but to date there is little strong evidence to support these claims [1,3].
Sweat is 99% water, less than 1% is sodium chloride (the main component of salt), potassium, urea nitrogen, etc., which can be regarded almost as pure water [2].
To a certain extent, sweating can indeed excrete some metabolic waste and toxins in the body, but it is very small compared to the excretion of other routes in the body (such as the excretion of the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract), and it is not the main excretion route of the human body [2].
In other words, sweating more does not have a great detoxification effect [4].
If you want to be healthy, it is more practical to keep your mouth shut, open your legs, and sleep well.
2. Can sweating more lose weight?
Look above, the main component of sweat is water...
The weight you lose by sweating is also water, and as soon as you drink water, you will come back quickly, so why let yourself suffer this sin!
The most lost when sweating quickly is water, followed by electrolytes, such as sodium chloride and a small amount of potassium, sweating too much at once may affect the balance of water and electrolytes in the body, resulting in various discomforts, such as dizziness, lack of strength, cramps, etc.
In addition, sweating will lead to a decrease in urine output, if you do not drink water, it will lead to the accumulation of some "toxic" substances mainly excreted from the kidneys, such as uric acid, creatinine and so on.
How much each person sweats depends mainly on the activity of the body's sweat glands to the sympathetic nerves and how well the body responds to sympathetic nerve stimuli. It is mainly related to genes and one's own physical condition [5].
In general, men sweat more than women; people who are heavier sweat more; and they sweat more in the afternoon than in the morning[4].
As mentioned above, sweating is a physiological phenomenon that is beneficial to the body in order to regulate body temperature, but there are some abnormal sweating, but it may be caused by certain diseases and need to be treated as soon as possible.
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosis is divided into primary hyperhidrosis and secondary hyperhidrosis.
If there is no other reason, excessive sweating all over the body or locally (such as armpits, palms, soles of feet, faces, etc.) will wet clothes and shoes, seriously affecting life, it is best to see a doctor [6].
Image source: Stand Cool Helo
Hypohidrosis
Anhidrosis or hypothrhiosis is considered when there is little or no sweating on the body or in a part of the body, and is accompanied by dizziness, muscle cramps or weakness, flushing of the face, and sensational heat [4].
Now there are all the numbers!
Don't care if you sweat more or sweat less, health and health are the most important!
Review expert: Yan Yan | Chief Physician, Department of Dermatology, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
bibliography
[1] Hussain J., Cohen M. Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review[J]. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2018, 2018: 1857413.
[2] Gagnon D., Crandall C. G. Sweating as a heat loss thermoeffector[J]. Handb Clin Neurol, 2018, 156: 211-232.
[3] Crinnion W. J. Sauna as a valuable clinical tool for cardiovascular, autoimmune, toxicant- induced and other chronic health problems[J]. Altern Med Rev, 2011, 16(3): 215-225.
[4] LA Goldsmith. Disorders of the eccrine sweat glands and sweating: Introduction. In: Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. [EB/OL]. [Dec. 14]. http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com.
[5] Minota K., Coon E. A., Benarroch E. E. Neurologic aspects of sweating and its disorders[J]. Neurology, 2019, 92(21): 999-1005.
[6] McConaghy J. R., Fosselman D. Hyperhidrosis: Management Options[J]. Am Fam Physician, 2018, 97(11): 729-734.
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