It's the time of year when students focus on getting ready for spring break and most other adults also want to get ready to look good on the beach. It's the season for losing fat. Of course, the best advice is to keep it lean year round, but most people get more serious about their body when winter is winding down.
So, let's talk about getting rid of unwanted fat. Did you know that fat can be burned off and exhaled through the lungs? And, did you know that there are traces of fat in your sweat? You can most certainly burn fat off and sweat some of it it out! But, how does this all work? Let's take a look.
What about sweat?
Sweat is the proof that your body is heating up and burning fuel. One of those fuels is fat which is burned for energy in the mitochondria, and then the oxidative “exhaust” leaves the body through the lungs, urine and sweat.
Sweat leaves the body through sweat glands. Sweat glands are small structures within the layers of your skin that make and release sweat. They’re a type of exocrine gland, which is a gland that releases substances through openings (ducts) onto the outer surface of your body (as opposed to endocrine glands that release substances directly into the blood stream). Each sweat gland has two main parts — a secretory coil that produces the sweat, and a tube-like duct that sends the sweat toward your skin’s surface.
There are two specific types of sweat glands:
Eccrine sweat glands: Most of your sweat glands are eccrine, and they’re spread out all over your body. They’re the main glands responsible for regulating your temperature. They produce the light, watery “common sweat” that evaporates from your skin to cool you down. They also jump into action when you’re feeling a strong emotion. Eccrine glands release sweat directly onto your skin’s surface.
Apocrine sweat glands: These produce “stress sweat” that’s thicker and stickier, typically in moments when you’re anxious or nervous. They play a minor role in cooling you down. Apocrine glands are mostly located in your armpits and groin area. They release sweat into your hair follicles, and from there, the sweat travels up the follicle until it reaches your skin’s surface.
What’s sweat made of?
Sweat glands within the layers of your skin produce the salty substance you notice on your skin’s surface. Your eccrine glands produce sweat that’s about mostly water. That’s why the sweat you notice on a hot day, or in the infrared sauna, feels so watery and evaporates quickly. We think of sweat as salty because sodium and chloride (the two components of table salt) make up a large part of the remaining contents. Sodium and chloride are key electrolytes that do important jobs in your body and need to be replenished with your hydration drink during your workouts.
The following substances are also present in smaller amounts: potassium. vitamins, trace minerals like calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron, as well as proteins and amino acids. Toxins like heavy metals and bisphenol A, commonly known as “BPA” are also present in sweat and in even larger amounts from sweat that is induced by an infrared sauna workout.
Your apocrine glands produce sweat that’s thicker and stickier than eccrine sweat. It’s still mostly water, but unlike eccrine sweat, it’s rich in fats (lipids). It also contains proteins, sugars and ammonia. (1)
Now, what about the fat leaving your body?
Fat is metabolized first, and then some of it is pushed out with sweat. Fat loss metabolism happens through processes that convert fat into energy, with waste products expelled mostly through breathing and urine, while sweat does play a role in the overall excretion.
To further explain, unlike eccrine sweat glands, which primarily release water and electrolytes, apocrine sweat glands produce a thicker, milky secretion that contains lipids, proteins, and other organic compounds. This sweat is richer in fats and contributes to body odor when metabolized by skin bacteria. These glands are stimulated by stress, emotional responses, and hormonal changes. Apocrine sweat contains fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, and sterols that give it a milky or oily consistency. Did you know that fat that causes body odor? The fats in apocrine sweat serve as nutrients for skin bacteria, which break them down into odorous compounds, leading to body odor. Keep that rally towel close by when training in the sauna!
It is important to note that working out inside of an infrared sauna, like that of the HOTWORX sauna, can supercharge the metabolism of fat and, of course it can also supercharge the process of sweating. So, now that you know how sweat works, and how fat leaves your body, all you need to do is take the action and get to the studio for more BURNING IT OFF, and SWEATING IT OUT!!!
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