Everybody sweats. But there can be a surprising amount of variation when it comes to how much people sweat—especially during a workout. There are several factors about why the body produces sweat and when, and it’s a positive and healthy response to exercise. So, if you’re wondering, “Why do I sweat so much when I work out?” there could be any number of reasons. 

The Science of Sweating During Exercise

The primary reason your body sweats is to cool down. This type of sweat is released by eccrine sweat glands, which help regulate your body temperature. When these glands release sweat onto the surface of your skin, the sweat evaporates, reducing your body’s internal temperature and helping to regulate it when you work out (or become overheated for other reasons). 

This thermoregulation is important for maintaining a healthy core body temperature, but sweating also has other benefits:

• Protecting against infection: Your sweat contains antimicrobial peptides that help to fight off and kill pathogens (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that try to enter through your skin. Sweating also helps your immune cells work better.
• Hydrating and clarifying your skin: Sweat contains amino acids, electrolytes, lactate, and urea that help your skin attract moisture, pull it in, and retain it, thus preventing dry skin. At the same time, sweating opens your pores, releasing bacteria, oils, or dead skin cells that have accumulated in them. Get out of sweaty clothes and wash your skin following a sweating workout, or bacteria can multiply.
• Eliminating some toxins: While sweating isn’t the main way your body removes toxins—say thank you to your kidneys and liver for that!—studies have found that some heavy metals and phthalates are released in your sweat.
• Improving your workout performance: When your body does a good job sweating, you become more efficient at cooling your core temperature. That means you can work out harder and longer, improving your overall fitness. 

How Intensity and Duration Impact Workout Sweating

Everyone is going to work up a sweat when running or working out, but not everyone sweats the same amount. If you feel like you’re over-sweating during exercise, first consider what might be impacting how much you sweat and what your sweat level tells you about your workout. The way in which you work out can have a significant impact on workout sweat. 

Aerobic exercise, or cardio, typically makes you sweat more than other types of exercise because your heart rate remains elevated for a longer period. In addition, the intensity and duration of your workout will also impact how much you sweat. The more intense the exercise and the longer it lasts, the more sweat your body will produce. 

How Other Factors Impact Sweating During a Workout

So, why do you sweat so much when you exercise even without cardio? While aerobic exercise makes you sweat the most, it’s not the only type of exercise that makes you sweat. Any activity that raises your heart rate and your body temperature is going to make you sweat. On top of that, there might be other factors that contribute to how much you sweat.

Environmental factors

Where you exercise can have an enormous impact on how much you sweat. Think about the following:

• Indoors vs outdoors: You’re going to sweat more exercising outside on a sunny day than you would outside when it’s overcast or in an air-conditioned gym.
• Temperature and humidity: Obviously, you’re going to sweat more while exercising in heat than you would in cooler temperatures. You should also take humidity into account, as higher humidity will always make you sweat more since the sweat can’t evaporate and cool your body as quickly.
• Ventilation/airflow: If the airflow in your exercise environment is insufficient, sweat doesn’t evaporate as efficiently. That means your body will produce more sweat to compensate. 

Personal factors

In addition to environmental factors, other factors can make you question your level of sweat during workouts. You might be drenched in sweat, then look at someone next to you with the barest hint of perspiration and think, “Why do I sweat so much when I exercise?” Consider:

• Your physiology: Some people are just genetically predisposed to sweat more than others, but your unique physiology has an impact, too. The size of your body is one factor since bigger bodies generate more heat, therefore requiring more sweat to cool.
• Your fitness level: Studies show that people who exercise regularly tend to sweat more than people who don’t because their bodies are better at cooling themselves efficiently.
• Your clothing: Tight workout clothing makes it harder for sweat to evaporate, so your body can’t cool itself as effectively. It produces more sweat to try to cool the body more.
• Your hydration levels: Someone who is well-hydrated is going to sweat more than someone who is dehydrated, and that’s a good thing.
• Your previous meal: If you’ve eaten a big meal before exercising, you’ll sweat more if you’re still digesting since digesting food raises your core body temperature. Additionally, what you eat matters. Processed foods are harder for your body to digest, and spicy foods make it harder to cool your body down, so eating either of these before a workout will cause you to sweat more.

Medical Conditions That Contribute to Excessive Sweating

If you ever questioned why you sweat so much during exercise even when it’s an easy workout, you’re not alone. You could be experiencing a sweating disorder. If you feel your sweating is excessive, and it begins well before you feel your heart rate increase or you feel overheated, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. The following conditions can cause excessive sweating.

Hyperhidrosis

This chronic skin condition is characterized by excessive sweating, and usually in specific areas like the armpits, feet, hands, or face. This sweating can occur even when you’re at rest or in cold temperatures. Caused by a genetic variation, this condition usually presents before age 25. 

Diaphoresis

Also called secondary hyperhidrosis, this is excessive sweating due to a medication or medical condition. Anxiety, cancer, diabetes, head injuries, gout, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, thyroid problems, and certain infections can all cause this condition. So can certain medications, like albuterol or naproxen. This sweating usually impacts your entire body. 

Perimenopause and menopause

The hormone fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause can cause hot flashes, night sweats, and more. While other symptoms also accompany these, hot flashes are one of the hallmarks of menopause symptoms. 

Heart attack

A current or impending heart attack can cause sudden, excessive sweating. Look for other symptoms, too, including chest pain, nausea, and shortness of breath. For women and people assigned female at birth, sweating and nausea are often the only symptoms of a heart attack. If these are present, call 911. 

Tips for Managing Excessive Sweating During Workouts

Still wondering why you sweat so much when you work out? The truth is that it’s completely normal to work up a sweat when running, doing a HIIT workout, or participating in any sort of exercise that gets your heart rate up. That said, if you’re feeling self-conscious about your sweating, the following tips can help you manage it. 

• Wear antiperspirant. Try applying it anywhere you want to reduce sweating, including on your armpits, hands, feet, or even hairline. Do not use antiperspirant in any area that your swimsuit would cover. Powder is a better choice for these areas.
• Wear lightweight, breathable workout gear. Try to wear fabrics that breathe well and dry quickly to reduce excess sweating.
• Try exercising in temperature-controlled environments. Avoid exercising in high heat and humidity when possible. Night or morning workouts may help.
• Eat two hours before exercising. Meal timing makes a big difference. This way, you’re no longer digesting, so your core temperature isn’t elevated.
• Stay hydrated. This isn’t going to reduce your sweating, but it will help your body regulate temperature better. 

If, after trying these tips, you still feel like your sweating is excessive, talk to your doctor about options. They may want to run a few tests to rule out underlying medical conditions. If they determine you have hyperhidrosis, they might offer some prescription solutions, which could include Botox injections in the armpits, prescription strength wipes, medications to prevent sweating or prescription-strength antiperspirants.