WHEN we do any kind of physical activity – hard enough – we can expect beads of perspiration to form and trickle down our foreheads.
This sweat is actually fluid secreted by glands in the skin, primarily composed of water; its main biological purpose is to regulate the body’s core temperature in a process called thermoregulation.
When the body’s internal temperature rises, millions of sweat glands are activated to produce and release this fluid onto the skin’s surface.
They help dissipate excess metabolic heat to cool down the body and stabilise the internal body temperature, typically around 37°C.
But sweat isn’t the same for everyone as its composition largely depends on your diet, genetics, rate of sweat and heat acclimatisation.
While it is primarily water, sweat also contains electrolytes like sodium and chloride, which gives sweat its characteristic, salty taste.
Other electrolytes present in sweat include potassium, calcium and magnesium, along with trace amounts of metabolic waste products like urea and lactic acid.
When the water in sweat evaporates, it can leave behind a concentrated residue such as visible white stains on your clothes.
This is particularly common during high-intensity exercise in tropical, humid climates such as ours.
Or, if you take a dip in the ocean and allow yourself to dry naturally in the sun for an hour, you’d find your skin feeling tight and dry with traces of salt crystals.
Well-accepted condition
If your sweat tastes exceptionally salty, leaves white chalky stains on your workout attire, forms a gritty layer of salt crystals on your body, stings your eyes or creates a burning sensation when it runs into cuts or grazes on your skin, you are likely a “salty sweater”.
Research shows that the faster you sweat, the higher the concentration of sodium you’ll have in your sweat.
This is because the glands that release sweat normally reabsorb some of the sodium before it is released to the body’s surface.
If it passes through the gland too quickly, there’s less time for reabsorption, so the sweat on your skin includes more salt.
A healthy adult produces about 500ml (roughly two cups) of sweat per hour during moderate to intense exercise, but there’s wide individual variation.
Obviously, some people sweat more than others and if you are a salty sweater, fret not.
You are not alone and it is not necessarily a bad thing if you have no side effects.
It just means with a few tweaks to your nutrition and hydration, you can maintain or maybe improve your workout performance and recovery rate.
Check these five signs
Here are some symptoms that can tell if you’re a salty sweater:
> Taste your sweat
By this, I don’t mean you should lick and taste yourself!
When sweat drips down your lips, pay attention to the taste. While all salt tastes ... salty, some salts have a higher sodium concentration and your taste buds will be able to pick that up immediately.
If you rear cats, you might notice they like to lick you when you’re sweaty, so that’s another sign of a salty sweater.
Cats have taste receptors for sour, bitter, salty and savoury foods but cannot taste sweet.
That’s why your kitty will lick at your face if they smell tears or sweat – they simply enjoy the taste.
> Salt cravings post-workout
After a hard training session, if you find yourself having a strong desire to consume salty foods like potato chips or salted nuts, it’s your body signalling that it requires sodium replenishment.
This is a good indicator that you might be losing a higher amount of salt and should consider incorporating more electrolytes into your recovery plan.
> Muscle cramps
Losing a large amount of sodium through sweat can lead to muscle cramping, as sodium plays a crucial role in generating electrical impulses that facilitate muscle contraction and relaxation.
When sodium levels drop, the balance of electrolytes is disrupted, impairing the ability of nerves to transmit signals effectively.
This dysfunction results in involuntary muscle contractions or cramps, as the muscles receive inconsistent or exaggerated signals.
It may happen spasmodically in various exercising muscle groups, usually in the legs i.e. calves, hamstrings or quadriceps muscles.
The incidence increases with higher frequency, intensity and duration of the workout, and is especially prevalent among long-distance endurance runners taking part in triathlons, marathons or ultra-marathons.
When you get muscle cramps, your performance is then affected.
> Fatigue and heat illness
Salty sweaters may experience faster fatigue and a higher risk of heat illness due to inadequate fluid and electrolyte replenishment.
These individuals often notice lower energy, reduced power, higher heart rate, poor focus and headaches.
They may also experience inadequate recovery.
To prevent these issues, it is crucial for you to replace fluid and sodium losses during prolonged or intense activities.
This includes consuming electrolytes during events lasting 90 minutes or more, and avoiding drinking beyond thirst as you don’t want your sodium levels to be too diluted, which can lead to nausea, confusion, seizures and in severe cases, respiratory failure.
> Dizziness or light-headedness
In more severe cases of excessive sodium and fluid loss, you might feel faint, dizzy, or experience a head rush when standing up quickly after a workout.
When you lose a lot of salt and fluid (through your sweat), your blood volume/pressure drops.
This makes it harder for your heart to get enough blood to your brain when you’re standing.
Blood pools in your legs, and not enough oxygen reaches your brain for a short period of time, causing the head rush or feeling of faintness.
The medical term for this is orthostatic hypotension (literally “low blood pressure”).
Since I’m prone to this, I ensure I stand up slowly from the floor, from the chair or from a squat position to avoid a temporary “blackout”.
To manage these side effects, salty sweaters should focus on replenishing sodium and electrolytes through their diet and hydration strategies.
This may involve consuming higher-sodium products, adding salt to meals, or using sodium- loading protocols before longer or high-intensity workouts.
Drinking electrolyte/isotonic sports drinks or sprinkling some salt to coconut water (fresh is best) can give a quick post-workout boost.
Do remember that certain conditions such as cystic fibrosis and adrenal disorders, along with medications such as antidepressants and pain relievers can also make your sweat salty.
There is no need to take a laboratory sweat test but if you have concerns, consult a healthcare professional for advice.
Better to be safe than too salty.
Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
