What does sweat say about your health?

Sweating too much, too little or having an unpleasant odor are all signs that your body is having problems, requiring immediate attention and care.

1. 'Super salty' sweat

Just like tears, it's normal for sweat to taste salty. However, if it's salty enough to burn your eyes and open wounds, it's a sign that your body is low on sodium. A diet low in sodium will make you dehydrated. If you want to make your sweat less salty, drink more electrolyte-boosting fluids to manage your sodium and potassium levels.

2. Rarely sweats

Everyone's body is different, some people sweat a lot, some people sweat less, this is completely normal. But anything too much or too little is not good. For example, on a hot summer day, if you cycle for a long time but still don't sweat, your sweat glands are clearly not working well. This condition is called anhidrosis and it affects the entire body. It makes the body temperature rise, exhausted, heatstroke, even life-threatening.

3. Excessive sweating

Excessive sweating is called hyperhidrosis. You can get hyperhidrosis in the cold season for no reason at all. Women in menopause are also prone to this condition. If you experience sweating that leads to weight loss, sweating while sleeping, or feeling chest tightness when you sweat, see your doctor. 

4. Smelly sweat

Sweat is inherently odorless. It only has an odor when it combines with bacteria in the skin, causing an unpleasant odor. This also happens when you are stressed. There are two types of sweat: the normally odorless type comes from the aqueous glands, and the unpleasant odor comes from the apocrine glands. To limit odors, remember to carefully clean the places where you sweat a lot. Your diet, environmental conditions, and medications also affect your body odor.

5. Sweat of pregnancy

During pregnancy, women tend to sweat more than usual and this is also considered one of the first signs of pregnancy. Body odor will also change during pregnancy. 

Hormonal changes during pregnancy will affect the area of ​​​​the brain that controls body temperature, causing pregnant women to sweat a lot. Drink plenty of water, bathe daily, wear loose clothes and avoid spicy foods to limit sweating.