Do Women Sweat More Than Men?

Who really sweats more, men or women? A new study by researchers at the University of Wollongong in Australia suggests that the answer is “neither.” Gender doesn’t matter. Size does. Science Daily reports on the study, which looked at skin blood flow and sweating responses in 36 men and 24 women who performed two trials (one of light exercise and the other of moderate) at 82 degrees fahrenheit and 36 percent humidity. Why 82 degrees and 36 percent humidity? Because those are conditions where the body is able to mitigate the additional heat produced during exercise and prevent further rises in body temperature by increasing sweating and blood flow to the skin. Here’s what the researchers found: The same body temperature changes were observed in all participants regardless of sex. The study also found that smaller men and women with more surface area per body mass are more dependent on heat loss through increasing circulation and less dependent upon sweating. In other words, larger people sweat more than smaller people, regardless of gender.

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