5 down and dirty facts about sweat
Perspiration is critical to keeping cool. Learn when, why, and how you sweat, plus much more.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
Though it can be bothersome, sweating is an essential biological function. It helps regulate body temperature, keeping us cool and preventing us from overheating.
Just about everyone sweats. It often happens when you exercise, feel hot, run a fever, or are anxious about something. Sweat itself is mostly made of water, but also contains small amounts of chemicals like salt, sugar, ammonia, and urea. It’s produced by glands found in the middle layer of skin, called the dermis.
But there’s much more to perspiration than that. Find out why you sweat more in certain places, what food and health conditions can make you perspire, what to do about excessive sweat, and much more.
Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byMark Arredondo, MD.
Sources: Baker LB. Physiology of sweat gland function: The roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health. Temperature (Austin). 2019 Jul 17;6(3):211-259. + 16
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- American Cancer Society. Antiperspirants and breast cancer risk. Page last revised October 19, 2022.
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