9 Interesting Facts About Sweat

Hands and Feet

There are 2.6 million sweat glands in the average human body with the majority in your hands and feet. With 250,000 glands in your feet, a foot typically outputs a half a pint of sweat in just one day.

Feeling a Little Salty

Sweat is made almost entirely of water and salt.

Sweat in the Animal Kingdom

 

Horses and apes both sweat from their armpits, like humans. Cows sweat through their noses. A hippo’s sweat is red.

Nerves, Stress and Excitement Can Make You Sweat

The medical term for excessive sweating is Hyperhidrosis.

Sweat is Odorless on its Own

It’s the bacteria on your skin that mixes with sweat to create odor.

So Much Sweat

Humans produce an average of 278 gallons of sweat each year.

Spicy Foods Are Triggers

Eating hot sauce or spicy peppers can make your forehead or armpits sweat profusely.

Better Bring a Towel

During intense exercise, you can sweat off up to 6 percent of your bodyweight.

Sweating with a Purpose

 

The purpose of sweat is to cool you down, using your body’s water in the process. Dehydration happens when you are losing more liquid than you are taking in. Without sweat, your body stops working properly.