Gloss Facts: The Truth About Sweat

The temperature has been soaring where I live and outdoor exercise is becoming a bit of a sticky, sweaty experience. As pretty as it isn’t, I’ve never minded sweating during exercise. After all, sweating means you’re really giving your body a great work out.

Or does it? See if you know the truth about sweat:

- You sweat all the time. That’s true! Small amounts of sweat release from glands all over our body to help us regulate our body temperature.

- You burn more calories when it’s hot out. That’s true! Your heart has to work a bit harder to keep your muscles oxygenated and to send blood to the surface of your skin to aid in temperature regulation. The extra calorie burn is negligible, though.

- Sunblock prevents you from sweating. That’s a myth. Sunblock has no effect on your body’s ability to sweat. In fact, it’s important to reapply sunblock (even the “sweat proof” kinds) when you’ve been out in the sun for a while because sweat can wash some of it away.

- Sports drinks make a difference. True … kind of. Sports drinks do replace some of the electrolytes you lose through sweat. But unless you’re participating in strenuous, endurance activities water is really all you need for hydration. If you are choosing a sports drink, be sure to opt for a low-calorie one.

Check out the rest of the sweat myths on Shape Magazine.