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    3 Funky things you didn’t know about sweat

    Any woman who's ever reached for a glass of wine on a date only to reveal the soaked underarms of her outfit has probably wished she could remove her sweat glands. But long before pit stains became a social obstacle, perspiring was crucial to survival. "Sweat cooled off our ancestors in the grasslands of Africa," says anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D. "It allowed them to hunt and forage without sweltering."

    But a hot climate isn't the only thing that makes us sweat. Nerve-racking situations (e.g., a big job interview) can prompt the brain to trigger the release of stress hormones that raise your body's temperature enough to warrant a cooldown.

    Here, three funky facts from the science of sweat.

    Q: If sweat is just water and salt, why does it reek?

    Sweat itself is odorless. But our armpits host special sweat filters called apocrine glands, which secrete an oily substance that, when mixed with bacteria on our skin, begins to smell, says David Pariser, M.D., a dermatology professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School. And since sweat is filtered from the bloodstream, pungent food odors can glom on to it. Ever notice how a guy can stink of garlic for days?

    Foods That Burn Fat

    Q: I've heard you sweat less if you're in better shape. Is this true or false?


    False. While we all get damp in hot or tense environments, DNA is what mandates our liquid output. Being in top form doesn't necessarily mean you'll sweat less, says Dee Anna Glaser, M.D. In the same vein, changing your diet won't greatly reduce the amount you ooze.



    Q: Sometimes I wake up drenched in sweat, but my bedroom is cool. What's going on?


    Your house could be warmer than you think it is; the optimal sleeping temp is 68°F. "Night sweats can also indicate other issues, such as thyroid or adrenal problems," says Glaser. Some medications, including certain sleeping or antidepressant pills, may bring on p.m. sweats as well. If you're waking up to soaked sheets more than twice a week, see your doctor.

    Tell Us: What are your best stay-dry tips and tricks??


    Make Your Sweat Count: Try This Killer Total-Body Workout

    Dry Ideas for Keeping Sweat at Bay




    More from Women's Health:

    Print and Go: A Stand Up Abs Workout
    Best Foods for Perfect Skin
    15 Ideas for Getting Better Sleep

     

    344 comments

    • Tims  •  8 months ago
      lindsay lohan is HOT!!!
    • Rick  •  8 months ago
      Fat people Stink because there bodies are trying to Figure out why they keep abusing them, When you eat Pigs Feet by the pound your body thinks It Is asparugus, Fat people Eat More////
    • ouch!  •  8 months ago
      Just don't sweat it.
    • Will Ellbee  •  8 months ago
      Don't sweat the smell stuff.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  8 months ago
      I sweat A LOT on my hands and feet! Anyone know why???
    • Ed  •  8 months ago
      Toxins are released from lymphatic storage in armpits. This should be an open pathway. Wash, eat garlic, drink lemon juice in water, eat or take good minerals and vitamins and your body will naturally detoxify. Be thankful when you sweat. If you don't you are not healthy.
    • Ed  •  8 months ago
      Our body's lymphatic system uses sweat glands in the armpits, palms and feet as drains for toxins. When the body is draining correctly, it is a very healthy situation. Drinking lots of water helps, so does eating garlic and increasing good nutrients. Then the body lets go of stored toxins to grab onto the better nutrients it needs. If you are sweating do not be embarrassed, be thankful and go wash off those toxins. (releasing stored bacteria should be encouraged, not prevented with antiperspirants) This writer did not know much about proper sweating.
    • was a regular  •  8 months ago
      u eat pig feet all day long u smell like one. thats y black ppl smell like a pigs foot
    • was a regular  •  8 months ago
      my f--- in ancestors did not grow up on the grasslands of africa. maybe thats why ----- smell like s---
    • michael p  •  8 months ago
      Its what the house of representatives is doing right know. The best way to keep dry is to stay away form government activity.
    • Anonymous Guy  •  8 months ago
      Women don't sweat, they glisten. :-)
    • ruby  •  8 months ago
      "Our ancestors"? I don't know what they're talking about, we don't all derive from Africa.
    • CJN  •  8 months ago
      don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff...(take the pun anyway you want):))
    • Anonymous  •  8 months ago
      When I was on a 100% vegan diet, I never had bo.
    • MsHouTx16  •  8 months ago
      My father sweat extremely; my mother rarely sweats; I took after my Dad. The only time I avoid smelly armpits, is when I use Arm & Hammer baking soda. I, too, wake up in sweat.
    • gogopaula  •  8 months ago
      i think genetics has a lot to do w/ it my dad's a sweater and so am i anything i do i break a sweat :/
    • PeterL  •  8 months ago
      I learned some new stuff about sweating. Good article.
    • George  •  8 months ago
      Dee Anna Glaser, M.D is wrong.
    • Jessie C  •  8 months ago
      People should use more deodorant and take showers everyday and if that's an issue then too bad. I take showers and do good hygiene everyday. Even the Martians from outer space and aliens from other planets I bet do that way better than we do.
    • Tyler  •  8 months ago
      I'm actually a guy but . . . I used to have severe under arm sweating almost like it was reversed. I would sweat when I was cool and sitting still, but then wouldn't when I worked out, strange. Anyways I saw my dermatologist and he gave me HyperCare formula to rub on my underarms. I use it once a week and it works amazing, I never have sweat issues anymore. I also use spray antipersperant in my groin area, helps out alot in this Texas heat. I too sweat more the better shape I'm in. Happy dryness everyone!

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