- Sweating a lot while working out can be frustrating but it's entirely normal, essential, and healthy.
- Specific physiology is a major reason for increased sweating, as is the medical issue, hyperhidrosis.
- Factors like wearing tight clothing or eating a big meal can also play a part in how much you sweat.
Some people can exercise for hours while barely breaking a sweat while others are drenched in a pool of perspiration after only a few minutes of activity. Overactive sweat glands may seem like a sign of a killer workout but as it turns out, it may have more to do with your physiology than how much effort you're actually putting in.
Sweating is an essential part of the workout process and occurs when the body's cooling system kicks in to reduce overheating and regulate its temperature. While some people may bemoan the fact they sweat so much during exercise, it's quite beneficial for your health because it rids your body of excess heavy metals (which can cause damage to your brain and liver) and bacteria (which can lead to infections).
However, there are other factors at play that influence how much you sweat. Below are five of the most common reasons why you might sweat a lot while working out, including insight from personal trainers and wellness experts on why it's not a bad thing.
1. Your clothes are too tight
From performance fabrics to compression gear, there's no shortage of premium, functional workout clothes on the market these days. But if your clothes are turning up your internal temperature, you'll likely sweat more than someone wearing loose-fitting garments.
Jack Craig, personal trainer for Inside Bodybuilding, explains that when you wear snug clothing, it restricts airflow and prevents your body from cooling down — which is why you should consider wearing breathable materials at the gym.
If you're trying to keep your sweating at bay, personal trainer and Founder of Everflex Fitness, Michael Hamlin, says to opt for looser and lighter clothes.
"Darker, tighter clothing traps more heat, causing your body temperature to rise even more," Hamlin says. "Wearing light-colored and breathable clothing while working out can help you sweat less. Choose clothing that's lightweight and made of natural fibers like cotton or linen. These fabrics help keep your body cooler and allow for better air circulation."
2. You just ate a heavy meal
It's natural to want to prep your body for an intense workout with a nutritious meal beforehand. But if you're still digesting when it's time to hit the gym, you might be sweating more than usual.
"Eating heavily before exercising may also make someone sweat more," says yoga teacher and nutrition coach for Popular Vitality, John-Willy Pelser. "This is because digestion increases the core body temperature and causes more perspiration when exercise begins."
While it's recommended to eat a balanced meal at least two hours before you hit the gym, studies show that eating a smaller, simpler meal 45 to 60 minutes before your workout won't affect your performance.
Hamlin also recommends avoiding certain foods before you exercise.
"What you put into your body has an effect on how much you sweat during exercise," he says. "Eating spicy foods or processed meals before working out causes your body to work harder to cool down and may cause you to sweat more."
3. Your physiology is prone to more sweat
Some biological factors are also responsible for increased sweating. Personal trainer and wellness expert for Maple Holistics, Caleb Backe, says everything from body mass, fitness level, and muscle percentage can affect how much you perspire.
While it's often said that men sweat more than women, recent research shows that body size is actually a bigger indicator of how much someone sweats as opposed to gender.
"People who weigh more tend to sweat more, as they generate more heat while moving around a bigger body," Backe says. "The more heat that's generated, the more likely your body produces sweat. A larger body also has more surface area, which needs to be cooled through perspiration."
Backe adds that people with higher percentages of muscle mass also tend to sweat more. He says the main reason is that muscles often use energy to contract, so anyone who has more muscle on their frame would then require more energy to move. This then "increases their body temperature faster which leads to more perspiration."
While more research needs to be done to back up Backe's theories on muscle mass, studies have shown that people who exercise regularly (such as long-distance runners) tend to sweat more than people who don't.
4. You have hyperhidrosis
Finally, another possible reason you're sweating excessively is hyperhidrosis, a medical issue that affects about 5% of the population. Hyperhidrosis causes the sweat glands to become overactive and produce more sweat than needed to regulate body temperature.
"If you're experiencing excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis, there are several treatments that can be helpful," says David Nazaria, medical director at Hormone Replacement Therapy Los Angeles. "Using a clinical strength antiperspirant can decrease excess sweating. For instance, Drysol is an example of a prescription-strength antiperspirant that contains aluminum chloride hexahydrate specifically designed to treat hyperhidrosis."
There is no cure for this issue but If you believe you have hyperhidrosis, you should consult with your doctor to discuss how to manage your symptoms.
Insider's takeaway
Sweating is a perfectly natural and healthy way your body responds to overheating but some people sweat more than others while working out.
While factors like wearing too tight of workout clothes or eating a big meal before working out may attribute to increased sweating, there are other variables that are often out of your control.
This includes physiology like muscle mass, body weight, or fitness level, as well as hyperhidrosis, which causes a person's sweat glands to be overactive and produce more sweat than the body needs.
Whatever may be causing your sweat glands to produce a little more H2O than necessary, it's important to stay hydrated and understand that sweat is natural and part of a healthy lifestyle.
Shannon Ullman Shannon Ullman is a freelance editor for Insider Reviews, focusing on Health Updates. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnmJqurcDHaJ2irJ6awLR71qGwZpyfYrZuv9aemK1lo6R6rsHCoWSwoJWjeqp51qippGWfqsE%3D