It's normal to sweat a lot when you're exercising hard -- when you sweat, it means you've activated your body's natural air conditioning system, which prevents your system from overheating. But some people believe they sweat too much while exercising, leading to damp clothing, excess odor and potential embarrassment. If you find that you sweat excessively while working out, you may be able to solve your problem if you can identify the cause.
Hot Temperature
Exercising in very hot temperatures can lead to excessive sweating as a sign of heat exhaustion, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You may also feel tired, with a headache and cold, clammy skin. If this happens to you, it's a sign that your body can't take the heat plus the exertion, and you should stop exercising immediately. Find a cool place to sit, and drink some water. If you continue to sweat excessively and feel woozy, seek medical attention -- if untreated, heat exhaustion can turn into heat stroke, which can kill you.
High Humidity
High humidity, in which the air is saturated with water molecules, can cause excessive sweating during exercise even if it doesn't seem particularly hot out, according to Rice University. In fact, it's possible for you to sweat more in humid, cool conditions than in dry, hot conditions because your sweat can't evaporate and create a cooling effect. These types of conditions also can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke -- in fact, people have died of heat stroke in conditions where the temperature was below 75 degrees, but the relative humidity was near 100 percent. If you experience symptoms of heat exhaustion, including excessive sweating, stop exercising, drink water to rehydrate yourself and move into air conditioning, if possible.
Hyperhidrosis
It's possible that your excessive sweating while exercising stems from a genetic disorder called hyperhidrosis, especially if you experience excessive sweating at other times, too. About 2 to 3 percent of the population suffer from hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, and the condition runs in families, according to PubMed Health. It's not clear what causes hyperhidrosis, which can cause embarrassment but won't threaten your health. If you want to correct the problem, talk to your doctor about medications or even surgical options that can deactivate your overactive sweat glands.
Other Causes
In some unusual cases, your excessive sweating while exercising may stem from an underlying medical condition, such as an overactive thyroid gland, anxiety, Parkinson's disease or even tuberculosis, according to PubMed Health. Women may also experience excessive sweating during exercising and at other times due to the onset of menopause. If you're concerned about finding the cause of your excessive sweating while exercising, you should see your physician for a full checkup and to rule out any potentially serious medical conditions.
