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Question
30 Aug 2007
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Sweating
As you get fitter do you sweat more or less? I seem to sweat a lot and Im wondering if I am getting fitter would I be sweating less?
FitnessDoc
Hi there
You sweat more, the body increases the ability to activate sweat glands through something that is called (fancy word) the sympathetic response. Another adaptation is that training actually increases the plasma volume, which means you have more to sweat off. These two reasons are why people who spend time in the heat are better at exercising in it that someone who is used to cold - they become acclimatized to heat because they sweat more.
Bear in mind that there are a couple of confounders here - the biggie is the environment. It doesn't matter how fit you are, but if the humidity is high and there is no wind, then any sweat will just drip off, and that makes it seem like you are sweating more. This is especially the case for people who train indoors, so bear in mind that often, it's the environment, and if you could get a fan on you (assuming you're in the gym), you'd be dripping a lot less.
Good luck
Ross
You sweat more, the body increases the ability to activate sweat glands through something that is called (fancy word) the sympathetic response. Another adaptation is that training actually increases the plasma volume, which means you have more to sweat off. These two reasons are why people who spend time in the heat are better at exercising in it that someone who is used to cold - they become acclimatized to heat because they sweat more.
Bear in mind that there are a couple of confounders here - the biggie is the environment. It doesn't matter how fit you are, but if the humidity is high and there is no wind, then any sweat will just drip off, and that makes it seem like you are sweating more. This is especially the case for people who train indoors, so bear in mind that often, it's the environment, and if you could get a fan on you (assuming you're in the gym), you'd be dripping a lot less.
Good luck
Ross
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