Two Kinds of Sweat!

Bet you did not know that there are two kinds of sweat.  The glands that produce the perspiration are called eccrine and the other is apocrine.  Eccrine glands are over most of your body and they open directly onto the surface of your skin.  You have between 2 and 5 million eccrine sweat glands.  Eccrine sweat glands secrete a mixture of water, salt, urea, and lactic acid onto the skin.   If you have a lot of eccrine glands you are more likely to sweat more than someone that has fewer.  They are concentrated in armpits, the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the forehead. As the sweat is hit by the air it evaporates and your skin is cooled. 

The other gland is the apocrine gland.  Its sweat is a heavier liquid that contains various organic substances, including pheromone hormones.  Apocrine glands develop in areas abundant in hair follicles, such as on your scalp, armpits and groin.  Apocrine glands secrete a fatty sweat directly into the tubule of the gland. When you're under emotional stress, the wall of the tubule contracts and the sweat is pushed to the surface of your skin where bacteria begin to break it down. They develop during puberty, and are thought to serve a biological function in sexual attraction. Apocrine glands take their name from the fact that these glands release the apical portion, or tip, of the secreting cell into the liquid along with the other substances.

When we sweat it has no odor, especially that of the eccrine glands.  It does however create an environment that allows bacteria that is normally on our skin to grow.  Now the apocrine glands secreting their thicker substance seem to attract the bacteria and then they multiply, thus a strong odor is usually sensed. 

Some people just seem to sweat more freely than others, this is known as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), but there are some known causes or factors that can make you sweat more heavily. These include:

1-Some foods and drink- Eating spicy food makes some people sweat, or drinking hot drinks or drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol can make you sweat.

2-Some drugs-drugs of the antipsychotic class that are used to treat mental disorders, morphine, ASA, Tylenol all seem to increase the sweating response.

3-Inherit it-It seems people that sweat on the palms and soles of their feet might have inherited it.

4-Menopause-A period when women's estrogen drops and they have what it called a hot flash-rise in core temp, sweating and extreme heat awareness.  Some menopausal women may also be awakened at night by soaking sweats followed by chills.

5-Men may have low hormone levels-This too causes hot flashes

6-Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar-Early signs and symptoms include sweating, shakiness, weakness, hunger, dizziness and nausea.

7-Fever-Natures way to fight off infection. You get a bacterial or viral infection and you get a fever.  You body goes hot at first, it is when the fever stops and your temperature lowers that you sweat; it is called "breaking the fever"   

8-Hyperthyroidism is having too much thyroxin hormone.  One of the signs is increased sensitivity to heat. It may also cause you to perspire much more than normal.

9-Heart attack-One of the signs is intense sweating.

10-TB or Tuberculosis- Among its signs and symptoms are fever and night sweats.

11-Malaria-you begin to sweat profusely. The cycle may recur every 48 to 72 hours.

 12-Some cancers like Leukemia and lymphoma can produce unusual sweating patterns.

As you can see there are two kinds of sweat and knowing the differences may help you discover why you are sweating so much and what you can do. The many causes of why someone might sweat more or suddenly sweat should also be kept in the back of your mind if needed.  It never hurts to stay aware of your body.  Knowledge is what keeps us healthy in life.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Two-Kinds-of-Sweat!&id=2039058
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