Does Sweating Remove Toxins from the Body?

We are, no doubt, assaulted by a barrage of pollutants in air, water and food every day - and some people think we can sweat out these toxins through brow-dripping exercise - or while sitting in a hot sauna or going to a hot yoga class. The idea of sweating out toxins has become trendy recently with an increasing number of people signing up for yoga classes where people pose in very hot environments to encourage sweating and release of toxins. Does sweating remove toxins-or not?

Sweating and Toxins: Does Sweating Remove Poisons?

Before signing up for a hot yoga class, consider this. Sweating is a mechanism the body uses to release heat. If you were to analyze sweat in the laboratory, you would find it consists mostly of water with small amounts of minerals, such as sodium and chloride, lactate and urea. Sweat may contain tiny amounts of lead along with other trace metals, but this amount is small enough to be almost insignificant. Toxins from any source can't be removed by sweating.

Fortunately, you do have a way to remove toxins - as long as you have a healthy liver. The liver is the main detoxifying organ in the body, although the kidneys and intestinal tract help too. The liver has the important job of filtering the blood to remove toxins and converting fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble ones that can be excreted by the kidneys.

It's your liver and kidneys that have the job of detoxifying and removing poisons from your body - and sweating keeps you healthy another way - by preventing overheating. You can't sweat out toxins by spending time in a hot room, a sauna or exercising vigorously in the heat - but you could end up dehydrated if you don't drink enough water.

Does Sweating Remove Toxins: The Bottom Line?

Sweating out toxins isn't an effective way to remove toxic substances from your body. To detoxify better, keep your liver healthy by not drinking too much alcohol and avoiding unnecessary medications. Maintaining a healthy weight helps to reduce the risk of fatty liver disease, another cause of reduced liver function. On the other hand, sweating is good for you if it means you're exercising, but be sure to stay well-hydrated.

References:

Merck Manual. Eighteenth edition. 2006.

Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science 8 (4): 270-5.

Published by Kristie Leong M.D. - A family physician with a strong interest in disease prevention and alternative medicine.

I m a family physician with a strong interest in disease prevention and alternative medicine. I m particularly interested in how diet plays a role in disease prevention. Hope I can inspire someone to lead a...  View profile