• Question: What is sweat made of?

    Asked by grococka09 to Helen, Jenni, Mark, Martin, Stu on 14 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Jenni Tilley

      Jenni Tilley answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      According to wikipedia…water, salts, urea and some smelly chemicals. Lots of people use deoderants to cover up the smell, or antiperspirants which block the pores on your skin and the sweat coming out of them.

    • Photo: Helen O'Connor

      Helen O'Connor answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      its mostly water, with the salts etc that Jenni mentions below. Sweat itself doesnt smell; it’s bacteria that live off sweat that makes the bad smell. There are two types of sweat: apocrine and eccrine sweat. Eccrine is the one we use to lower our body temperature when we exercise or get hot. I am not sure what apocrine sweat is for – I studied this a long time ago (sorry!)

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