perspiration (sweating)

Introduction

Production of sweat by sweat glands.

Perspiration functions as a means of thermoregulation.

Evaporation of sweat from the skin surface removes heat from the body.

Perspiration itself may decrease core body temperature.

Perspiration is a normal compensatory response to increased body temperature as from warm weather or exercise.

Thermoregulatory center(s) in the preoptic nucleus of the anterior hypothalmus regulate perspiration.

Sweating occurs with activation of heat loss mechanism or with removal of a febrile stimulus.

The average daily quantity of perspiration is 1500 grams.

The range is quite variable 100-8000 grams/day.

Sweat itself contains salts as well as lactate & urea, but is has a lower osmolality relative to plasma.

Representative content of minerals in sweat include:

• • sodium 39 mmol/L, potassium 5 mmol/L, calcium 0.37 mmol/L, magnesium 54 umol/liter[3,4]
  • many other trace elements are excreted in sweat:
    • zinc 0.4 mg/L, copper 0.3 -0.8 mg/L, iron 1 mg/L, chromium 0.1 mg/L, nickel 0.05 mg/L, lead 0.05 mg/L

Excessive perspiration is hyperhidrosis.

Absence of perspiration is anhidrosis.

More general terms

• sign/symptom

More specific terms

• anhidrosis (adiaphoresis)
• hematohidrosis; hematidrosis
• hyperhidrosis

Additional terms

• diaphoresis
• night sweats
• sweat gland