While it may be a generalization, many people have casually made the observation that men tend to sweat more than women. While both sexes certainly sweat as a mechanism to regulate body temperature, it feels like you’re much more likely to see a man dripping in sweat at the gym or on a hot day than a woman.
So what gives? Why do men sweat so much? Is female sweat different than male sweat somehow? And, in reality, which type of person sweats the most?
In this article, we’ll dive into all of these questions and more to help you better understand how sex can affect sweating.
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How Much Do Women Sweat?
According to Michael Shapiro, M.D., medical director of Vanguard Dermatology in New York, the average woman sweats five ounces - enough to fill a wine glass - every hour. That sure sounds like a lot of sweat, doesn’t it? And that’s before you factor in considerations like temperature, stress, and exercise. That’s not even to mention that fit women sweat even more than their non-fit counterparts.
But how does this compare to the amount that men sweat?
How Much Do Men Sweat?
If you’re one of those people who has observed that males seem to sweat more than females and wondered, “why do men sweat more?” - give yourself a pat on the back because you’re right. Science has proven that men actually do sweat more than women - a full four times as much, to be particular.
It’s not because men have more sweat glands. One study showed that women, put under the same physical strain as men, use the same number of sweat glands. They just produce less sweat from each gland.
So why exactly are women producing less sweat than men?
Does Testosterone Make You Sweat More?
It seems that one of the main factors is hormones, namely testosterone. Studies have shown that before puberty, girls and boys sweat about the same amount. But when they start puberty, and their sex hormones begin to circulate, this changes, and the boys start to sweat more than the girls. This suggests that testosterone might be the reason why men are sweatier than women, even if the sweat itself is still similar in terms of content and smell.
Why Do I Sweat So Much?
If you’re a highly sweaty person, you might be pretty annoyed to hear that something you can’t control, such as your hormones, might be the reason why you’re sweating more than others. But what other factors play into how much a person does or doesn’t sweat?
- Physical fitness - As we mentioned above, the fitter a person is, the more they sweat. This is because fitter bodies adapt to sweating at lower body temperatures in order to cool down more efficiently.
- Genetics - Some people are just genetically predisposed to sweating more than others, with a condition called hyperhidrosis causing excessive sweating sometimes without any cause other than a person’s genetics.
- Body weight - Because they are more insulated with warm body fat, heavier people sweat more.
- Acclimatization - If you live in a hot climate, you’re likely to adjust and sweat less. But if you’re a Northerner who somehow ends up in a hot place, you’re probably going to sweat more.
- Age - Your body becomes less tolerant to heat as you age, so you’ll sweat more in order to cool off.
- Health - A number of health conditions from colds and flu to menopause to even anxiety and depression can impact how much you sweat.
But before you get too upset because you’re always sweating more than the people around you, it might be worth knowing that sweating is actually something to be grateful for. Sure, it can be an inconvenience, but it’s a sign that your body is working effectively and efficiently to cool you down when your temperature goes up. People who can’t sweat as much as others, such as unfit women, are actually at a disadvantage because they can’t cool down as well when they get hot working out or in higher temperatures.
How Social Citizen Can Help You
Of course, it doesn’t always help just to know that sweating is a healthy and natural adaptation intended to help keep your body at the right temperature. Even with this being the case, sometimes sweating is just a nuisance. From causing body odor to creating stains on your clothing to making you self-conscious in public, getting sweaty can really suck.
Thankfully, there are products created to help with these specific problems. Social Citizen’s sweat-proof clothing comes with a built-in, hidden underarm pad to absorb your sweat and prevent it from showing through your clothes. The shirts are also made with naturally anti-microbial bamboo to fight any odors that sweating might create.
And don’t worry, they don’t look it. From the outside, Social Citizen’s clothes look and feel just like any other stylish item of clothing you might have in your closet. This way, you can maintain your confidence while staying fresh and cool all day, even if your sex (or age or weight or something else) makes you sweatier than other people.
Social Citizen’s sweat-proof clothing comes in a variety of styles and colors for both men and women, so you’re sure to find a shirt that you like. Check Social Citizen out today and never worry about visible sweat marks again.
