Why is sweat salty?

Melissa and Jam explore the science behind why sweat is salty. They discuss personal experiences with sweating, the types of sweat glands, and the chemical processes involved in sweat production. The episode explains how osmosis, ion channels, and salt concentrations contribute to the movement of sweat through sweat glands to the skin's surface. They also touch on evolutionary aspects and the role of sweat in cooling the body. For anyone curious about the chemistry of everyday life, this episode offers an accessible and intriguing explanation.

00:00 Introduction: Why is Sweat Salty?

00:27 Personal Experiences with Sweat

01:32 The Science Behind Sweat

02:00 Meet the Hosts

02:20 Types of Sweat Glands

04:30 How Sweat Reaches the Skin

07:31 The Role of Salt in Sweat

14:20 Health Indicators in Sweat

17:01 Understanding Osmosis and Interstitial Fluid

17:39 Evolutionary Perspective on Sweating

20:01 Mechanism of Sweat Glands

22:41 Sweat Composition and Function

27:39 Personal Sweating Experiences

33:47 Supporting the Show and Community

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References from this episode:

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6773238/


2. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2024/lc/d3lc00874f#cit23


3. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.4c10344

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