Sweating is your body's way of naturally maintaining a proper internal temperature. If you lose excessive amounts of sweat during exercise, you will temporarily lose some body weight. However, losing this amount of sweat can be dangerous and exposes you to serious or life-threatening health risks from dehydration, kidney damage and heat stroke.
Sweating Basics
Under normal conditions, sweating occurs when your body temperature elevates in response to activity or changes in your environment, or when you experience intense emotions such as anger, nervousness, fear or embarrassment. Additional common causes include fevers, infections, use of caffeine or alcohol, menopause, consumption of spicy foods, cancer and the use of certain medications. Your sweat includes mineral-based substances called electrolytes, which help regulate the way your body uses water, as well as normal activity in your muscles and the relative acidity of your blood. Common electrolytes include sodium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
Water Weight
Weight loss caused through sweating is sometimes referred to as water weight. Athletes who participate in weight-regulated sports such as wrestling and boxing sometimes resort to short-term excessive sweating in order to lose water weight for competitions. The weight-loss effects of sweating are temporary, and you will typically regain any lost weight as soon as you drink water or eat your next meal. What's more, excessive sweating depletes your body's fluid supplies, purges vital electrolytes from your system and can also result in an internal body temperature that far exceeds your body's safe operating range.
Excessive Sweating Consequences
If you don't have enough water and other fluids in your body, you will become dehydrated. While mild and moderate dehydration can be eased with increased water intake, severe dehydration can trigger a life-threatening health complication called shock. When you lose excessive amounts of electrolytes, you seriously increase your risks for kidney damage and death. When your body temperature rises above its safe operating range, you can develop a condition called heat stroke, which can result in either death or permanent system damage.
Considerations
In some cases, individuals seeking to lose water weight use sealed forms of clothing called sweatsuits or sauna suits. However, even short-term use of a sweatsuit can expose you to the health risks associated with excessive sweating. Rather than resorting to sweating for weight loss, take a longer-term view and use time-tested, safe methods such as proper nutrition, calorie control and regular participation in aerobics and strength-training exercises. Ask your doctor for more information on healthful methods of weight loss.
References
- Medline Plus: Sweating; May 2009
- Military.com Fitness Center: Weight Loss Myths; Stew Smith
- Ask The Trainer: Unhealthy Ways to Lose Weight; 2008
- Medline Plus: Electrolytes; August 2009
- PubMed Health: Dehydration; August 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Frequently Asked Questions About Extreme Heat; August 2006
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