Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Male and female upper body sweat distribution during running measured with technical absorbents

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Body sweat distribution over the upper body in nine clothed male and female runners of equal fitness while running at 65% \( \ifmmode\expandafter\dot\else\expandafter\.\fi{V}{\text{O}}_{{{\text{2max}}}} \) and subsequent 15-min rest in a moderate climate (25°C, 53% rh) was investigated using technical absorbent materials to collect the sweat produced. No significant difference in whole body mass loss (male 474 SD 80; female 420 SD 114 g m−2 h−1) nor surface weighted average of all tested zones for exercise (male 636 SD 165; female 565 SD 222 g m−2 h−1) nor rest (male 159 SD 46; female 212 SD 75 g m−2 h−1) were observed. Local sweat rate (LSR) ranges were large and overlapped substantially in most areas. Males showed higher LSR for the mid-front (P < 0.05), sides (P < 0.05), and mid lateral back (P < 0.01) compare to females. Both sexes showed similar sweat distribution patterns over the upper body with some exceptions. Males showed higher relative (local to overall) sweat rates than females for the mid lateral back (P < 0.001), while it was lower for the upper arm (P < 0.001), lateral lower back (P < 0.05), and upper central back (P < 0.05). Sweating in both sexes was highest along the spine, and higher on the back as a whole than the chest as a whole. Upper arm sweat rate was lowest. Males showed a higher ratio of highest to lowest LSR (4.4 vs. 2.8; P < 0.05). The present study has provided more detailed information, based on more subjects, on upper body sweat distribution than previously available, which can be used in clothing design, thermo-physiological modelling, and thermal manikin design.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American College of Sports Medicine (2005) ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Bar-Or O, Lundgren HM, Magnussen LI, Buskirk ER (1968) Distribution of heat activated sweat glands in obese and lean men and women. Hum Biol 2:235–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Bar-Or O (1998) Effects of age and gender on sweating pattern during exercise. Int J Sports Med 19(Suppl):S106–S107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bender R, Lange S (1998) What’s wrong with arguments against multiplicity adjustments. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/316/7139/1236

  • Bittel J, Henane R (1975) Comparison of thermal exchanges in men and women under neutral and hot conditions. J Physiol (Lond) 250:475–489

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bothorel B, Dewasmes G, Hoeft A, Candas V (1991) Temperature and sweating responses in one-legged and two-legged exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 63:157–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Candas V, Libert JP, Vogt JJ (1980) Effect of hidromeiosis on sweat drippage during acclimation to humid heat. Eur J Appl Physiol 44:123-33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Candas V, Libert JP, Vogt JJ (1983) Sweating and sweat decline of resting men in hot humid environments. Eur J Appl Physiol 50:223–234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cotter JD, Patterson MJ, Taylor NAS (1995) The topography of eccrine sweating in humans during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 71(6):549–554

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham DJ, Stolwijk JAJ, Wenger CB (1978) Comparative thermoregulatory responses of resting men and women. J Appl Physiol 45(6):908–915

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies CTM (1979) Thermoregulation during exercise in relation to sex and age. Eur J Appl Physiol 42:71–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein Y, Stroschein AL, Pandolf KB (1987) Predicting metabolic cost of running with and without backpack loads. Eur J Appl Physiol 56:495-500

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferres HM (1960) The effect of pressure on sweating. J Physiol 151:591–597

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fogarty AL, Bartlett R, Ventenat V, Havenith G (2007) regional foot sweat rates during a 65-minute uphill walk with a backpack. In: Mekjavic IB, Kounalakis SN, Taylor NAS (Eds). Environmental Ergonomics XII. Biomed d.o.o., Ljubljana. ISBN: 978-961-90545-1-2

  • Folk GE, Semken A (1991) The evolution of sweat glands. Int J Biometeorol 35(3):180–186

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fox RH, Löfstedt BE, Woodward PM, Eriksson E, Werkstrom B (1969) Comparison of thermoregulatory function in men and women. J Appl Physiol 1969 26(4):444–453

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haslag WM, Hertzman AB (1965) Temperature regulation of young women. J Appl Physiol 20(6):1283–1288

    Google Scholar 

  • Havenith G (2001) An individual model of human thermoregulation for the simulation of heat stress response. J Appl Physiol 90:1943–1954

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Havenith G, van Middendorp H (1990) The relative influence of physical fitness, acclimation state, anthropometric measures and sex on individual reactions to heat stress. Eur J Appl Physiol 61:419–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Havenith G, Luttikholt VGM, Vrijkotte TGM (1995) The relative influence of body characteristics on humid heat stress response. Eur J Appl Physiol 70:270–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Havenith G, Fogarty A, Bartlett R, Smith C, Ventenat V (2007) Upper body sweat distribution during and after a 60 minute training run in male and female runners. In: Mekjavic IB, Kounalakis SN, Taylor NAS (Eds). Environmental ergonomics XII. Biomed d.o.o., Ljubljana, pp 270–271. ISBN: 978-961-90545-1-2

  • Hertzman AB (1957) Individual differences in regional sweating. J Appl Physiol 10:242–248

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue Y, Nakao M, Araki T, Murakami H (1991) Regional differences in the sweating responses of older and younger men. J Appl Physiol 71:2453–2459

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue Y, Havenith G, Kenney WL, Loomis JL, Buskirk ER (1999) Exercise- and methylcholine-induced sweating responses in older and younger men: effect of heat acclimation and aerobic fitness. Int J Biomet 42(4):210–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue Y, Tanaka Y, Omori K, Kuwahara T, Ogura Y, Ueda H (2005) Sex- and menstrual cycle-related differences in sweating and cutaneous blood flow in response to passive heat exposure. Eur J Appl Physiol 94:323–332

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ISO 9920 (2007) Ergonomics of the thermal environment. Estimation of the thermal insulation and evaporative resistance of a clothing ensemble, International Standardisation Organisation, Geneva 2003

  • Jablonski NG (2006) Skin, a natural history. University Press of California, Columbia And Princeton (US). ISBN: 9780520242814

  • Kawahata A (1960) Sex differences in sweating. Essential Problems in climatic physiology. In: Ito S et al (eds) Nankodo Publisher, Kyoto, pp 169–184

  • Kenney WL (1985) A review of comparative responses of men and women to heat stress. Environ Res 37:1–11

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kenney WL, Fowler SR (1988) Methylcholine-activated eccrine sweat gland density and output as a function of age. J Appl Physiol 65(3):1082–1086

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knip A (1969) Measurement and regional distribution of functioning eccrine sweat glands in male and female Caucasians. Hum Biol 41(3):380–387

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kondo N, Takano S, Aoki K, Shibasaki M, Tominaga H, Inoue Y (1998) Regional differences in the effect of exercise intensity on thermoregulatory sweating and cutaneous vasodilation. Acta Physiol Scand 164:71–78

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kondo N, Tominaga H, Shibasaki M (2000) Effects of exercise intensity on the sweating response to a sustained static exercise. J Appl Physiol 88(5):1590—1596

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuno Y (1956) Human perspiration. Charles C Thomas Publ., Springfield

  • Machado-Moreira CA, Smith FM, van den Heuvel AMJ, Mekjavic IB, Taylor NAS (2008a) Sweat secretion from the torso during passively-induce and exercise-related hyperthermia. Eur J Appl Physiol (in press)

  • Machado-Moreira CA, Wilmink F, Meijer A, Mekjavic IB, Taylor NAS (2008b) Local differences in sweat secretion from the head during rest and exercise in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol (in press)

  • Nadel ER, Stolwijk JAJ (1973) Effect of skin wettedness on sweat gland response. J Appl Physiol 35(5):689–694

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nadel ER, Bullard RW, Stolwijk JAJ (1971) Importance of skin temperature in the regulation of sweating. J Appl Physiol 31(1):80–87

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ogawa T, Asayama M (1986) Quantitative analysis of the local effect of skin temperature on sweating. Jpn J Physiol 36:417–422

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park SA, Tamura T (1992) Distribution of evaporation rate on human body surface. Ann Physiol Anthropol 11:593–609

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perneger TV (1998) What’s wrong with Bonferroni adjustments. BMJ 316:1236–1238

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Randall WC (1946) Quantitation and regional distribution of sweat glands in man. J Clin Invest 25:761–767

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith C, Ventenat V, Havenith G (2007) Regional sweat rates of the arms and hands in male squash players. In: Mekjavic IB, Kounalakis SN, Taylor NAS (eds) Environmental ergonomics XII. Biomed d.o.o., Ljubljana. ISBN: 978-961-90545-1-2

  • Sodeman WA, Burch GE (1944) Regional variations in water loss from the skin of diseased subjects living in a subtropical climate. J Clin Invest 23(1):37–43

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor NAS, Caldwell JN, Mekjavic IB (2006) The sweating foot: local differences in sweat secretion during exercise-induced hyperthermia. Aviat Space Environ Med 77(10):1020–1027

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Beaumont W, Bullard RW (1965) Sweating: direct influence of skin temperature. Science 147:1465–1467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verde T, Shephard RJ, Corey P, Moore R (1982) Sweat composition in exercise and in heat. J Appl Physiol 53(6):1540–1545

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner JS (1945) The regional distribution of sweating. J Physiol 104:32–40

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wyndham CH, Morrison JF, Williams CG (1965) Heat reactions of male and female Caucasians. J Appl Physiol 20(3):357–364

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University, Ashby Road, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK

    George Havenith, Alison Fogarty, Rebecca Bartlett & Caroline J. Smith

  2. Centre de Recherche DECATHLON, Villeneuve d’Asq, France

    Vincent Ventenat

Authors
  1. George Havenith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alison Fogarty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rebecca Bartlett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Caroline J. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Vincent Ventenat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Havenith.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM1 (PDF 91 kb)

ESM2 (PDF 145 kb)

ESM3 (PDF 120 kb)

ESM4 (PDF 113 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Havenith, G., Fogarty, A., Bartlett, R. et al. Male and female upper body sweat distribution during running measured with technical absorbents. Eur J Appl Physiol 104, 245–255 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0636-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0636-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation