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perspiration (sweating)

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. [3] 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: a) sodium 39 mmol/L, potassium 5 mmol/L, calcium 0.37 mmol/L, magnesium 54 umol/liter[3,4] b) 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 [3,5] Excessive perspiration is hyperhidrosis. Absence of perspiration is anhidrosis.

Related

diaphoresis night sweats sweat gland

Specific

anhidrosis (adiaphoresis) hematohidrosis; hematidrosis hyperhidrosis

General

sign/symptom

References

  1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995
  2. Prescriber's Letter 13(7): 2006 Medication induced sweating Detail-Document#: 220713 (subscription needed) http://www.prescribersletter.com
  3. Wikipedia: Perspiration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspiration
  4. Montain SJ et al Sweat mineral-element responses during 7 h of exercise-heat stress. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2007 Dec;17(6):574-82. PMID: 18156662
  5. Cohn JR, Emmett EA The excretion of trace metals in human sweat. Ann Clin Lab Sci. 1978 Jul-Aug;8(4):270-5. PMID: 686643