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What is SWEAT?

Published : Jan 16, 2020 3 mins read Updated On : Aug 05, 2022

What is sweat and why do we make it? Sweat is your body's way of cooling itself, whether that extra heat comes from hard-working muscles or from overstimulated nerves. Here we will try to explain what sweat is, why we sweat and why your skin tastes salty after a workout?

An average person has 2.6 million sweat glands in their skin. Sweat glands are distributed over the entire body -- except for certain organs. The sweat gland is in the layer of skin called the dermis along with nerve endings, hair follicles and so on.

Sweat Glands

Sweat-Blog

The diagram above shows where sweat is produced in glands that lay coiled just beneath the surface. The sweat gland is a coiled, long and hollow tube of cells. The coiled part is where sweat is produced, and the long portion is the duct that connects the gland to the opening on the skin's outer surface. Nerve cells from the nervous system connect to the sweat glands.

How Sweat Is Made

We are constantly sweating, even though we may not notice it. Sweating is our body's way of getting rid of excess body heat, which is produced by metabolism or muscles when at work. The amount of sweat produced depends upon the state of emotion and physical activity. When the sweat gland is stimulated, the cells secrete a fluid that is mostly water and has high concentrations of sodium and chloride and a low concentration of potassium. It has to be noted that when one sweats because of exercise or high temperature - the sodium and chloride concentrations are about half as much, and potassium is about 20 percent higher. The maximum volume of sweat that a person who is not adapted to a hot climate can produce is about one liter per hour.

Why We Sweat

When sweat evaporates from the surface of our skin, it removes excess heat and cools us down. In reality, all of the sweat we produce does not evaporate, but rather runs off our skin. In addition, not all heat energy produced by our body is lost through sweat. Some are directly radiated from the skin to the air and some are lost through respiratory surfaces of the lungs.

Sweat-Blog

A major factor that influences the rate of evaporation of sweat is the humidity of the air around you. If the air is humid, then it already has water vapor in it and cannot take any more. Hence, sweat does not evaporate and cool our bodies as efficiently as when the air is dry.

Finally, when the water in the sweat evaporates, it leaves the salts (sodium, chloride, and potassium) behind on our skin, which is why our skin tastes salty. The loss of excessive amounts of salt and water from our body can quickly dehydrate us, which can lead to circulatory problems, kidney failure and at worse it can cause a heat stroke. So, it is important to drink plenty of fluids when we exercise or are outside in high temperatures. Sports drinks containing electrolytes contain salts to replace those lost in the sweat.

So now that you know what is sweat, how it is made and why it is important to hydrate - don't forget to sip your hydration and not gulp it cause you need to continuously need to cool down your body rather than have a lot of liquid at a single go.

For instant recharge and optimal hydration, opt for Fast&Up Reload - India's first electrolyte effervescent drink for rapid absorption that is low in sugar and rehydrates the body instant leaving you feeling energetic. Fast&Up Reload has the power of 5 electrolytes, vitamins and minerals to help provide the body with optimum hydration. It helps replace fluids lost by sweating and relieves muscle exhaustion and soreness. 

Sweat-Blog

Fast&Up Reload can be consumed by anyone and anytime during your workout or even on a hot day when you feel drained and tired. This drink can be used all year round and is diabetic friendly due to its low sugar content. You just need to drop one tablet in a glass of water (250mL) and wait for it to dissolve and then drink.

Instant energy in just a drop - fizz - drink!

You can buy Fast&Up Reload at major stores across the country. You will find Fast&Up Reload in pharmacies, Noble stores & other major stores. 

Vatsalya Khanna
Vatsalya Khanna
General Wellbeing

Vatsalya is very enthusiastic about daily health and general wellbeing. Vatsalya likes being updated regarding new development in health category and incorporate all the latest trends in her blogs.... Read More

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