Sweating, also known as perspiration occurs in all humans in various degrees depending on the state of mind or activity in which one is involved.

Doctors say it is a normal response that helps to maintain body temperature, occurring when the sweat glands in the skin secretes a salty fluid.

The doctors also say there are two types of sweat glands-- the Apocrine and the Eccrine.

Sweating occurs in different parts of the body but mostly on the palms, feet and armpits. Majority of people who sweat excessively on the hands also sweat on their feet.

Factors such as food, weight, psychological or simple anxiety play key roles in armpit sweating.

Studies show that excessive sweat indicates a case of hyperhidrosis, which occurs when the body's sweat glands produce more sweat than is needed.

A medical practitioner, Dr Emmanuel Adegbite says hyperhidrosis occurs when a person sweats profusely either all the time or frequently.

Hyperhidrosis affects the palms, the soles of the feet and sometimes the underarm area. Often, genetics cause this type of excessive perspiration, and can run in families.

Adegbite says "it is common to hear menopausal women complaining about profuse sweating and night sweats during this normal stage of a woman's life."

Other causes of excessive sweating, according to Adegbite, may be medical conditions like leukemia, overactive thyroid, lymphoma, an infectious disease or low blood sugar.

Also, "profuse perspiration or a cold, clammy sweat may be one of the main symptoms of a heart attack," Adegbite says.

An imbalanced diet, especially one packed with caffeine, alcohol and diuretics (a situation that causes increased urine output) may also cause excessive sweating, just as pepper, onions and garlic.

Dr Olanrewaju Falodun, a dermatologist, says some people who sweat a lot may not have any medical reason for it, only that they just have sweat glands that pour more fluid.

"That's the same way some people don't sweat enough but it's just part of nature. Some people don't sweat enough and some may not even sweat at all.

"For those people who don't sweat at all, there are some diseases we call familiar Dishidrosis (disturbance in sweat production) or Anhidrosis (inability to sweat normally)."

He says the condition is usually inherited "and those babies don't live long enough because it is associated with some other abnormalities, but for those who don't sweat at all, the chances of survival in life are quite limited."

However, sweating in babies especially around the head while sleeping is common and the cause cannot be ascertained. On the other hand, some infants may sweat abnormally due to chronic and acute infections.

Several people complain that sweating makes them uncomfortable as it shows on clothes in the case of the armpits or give them embarrassingly sweaty palms.

Other people don't like to sweat so much because it is smelly and could be a breeding ground for bacteria.

Falodun says "some people have body odour because they sweat a lot especially if body hygiene is not observed.

For Mr Yinka Abe, it depends largely "on the weather and the activities I engage in at that point in time."

Mrs Perpetua Okoro, an expectant mother, says in her present condition, any little activity makes her sweat.

"It seems the pregnancy is what is affecting me because when I walk, I sweat so much and it embarrasses me. I don't like it when I sweat like that because my whole body is dripping."

She says that it is peculiar with the condition because "when my pregnancy is advance, that is five months and above, it is natural I sweat a lot till I give birth."

For Mrs Margaret Okunniyi "I sweat when I exercise or use some specific body cream and I'm not comfortable when I sweat."

She notes that if she doesn't have a bath after sweating so much, the smell is unpleasant.

Doctors also say sweating is one way the body temperature is regulated and humans rely on the evaporation of sweat to protect the body against a hot environment.

"It helps to keep the skin moist and lose heat which is very important. You notice that if you sweat and you touch your skin, it becomes very cool," Falodun remarks.

Studies also reveal that sweat has excretory functions, which helps to release some electrolytes so that the normal balance of the electrolytes in the body can be maintained.

To avoid losing too much body fluid due to excessive sweating, doctors advise drinking lots of fluid to replace already used-up.

According to Falodun, "if somebody sweats much more than necessary, it can lead to electrolyte derangements and that can affect other systems and other organs in the body.

"Our body systems are organised by electrolytes and even the heart functions have to use electrolytes. There are some diseases that you may actually lose some electrolytes in your sweat, like sodium."

He notes that although it may not cause cancer or other known ailments, it could cause one to faint if lost fluid is not replaced.

For babies, Falodun says although it is normal for them to sweat, it should not be as a result of too much covering because there is a tendency that babies are over-covered.

"Although it is nice to maintain a warm environment, there is a limit to covering the baby depending on the temperature.

"If you notice that a baby is feeling so hot due to a fever or something, it is not wrong to expose the baby for a while and then you cover minimally."

Treatment for excessive sweating or body odour, however, varies, and according to Adegbite, proper hygiene is key to coping with excessive sweating.

"Dietary adjustments and medication techniques have also been found to help reduce the perspiration, especially in moments of stress.

"Botox injections are another alternative for people whose sweating is localised on the face and head.

"I'm not sure most people that sweat in Nigeria have to go that far because everything has its own side effects so it's not something you just jump at for every single person."

Falodun says "anti-perspirants are very helpful because they conceal the sweating and slightly reduce the amount of sweat that comes out into the open space."

Abe says to control the amount of sweat that is seen by other people on him, he wears white Tee-shirts and not singlet as is commonly used by men.

He does this because "tee-shirts cover more areas on the body and also has the capacity to absorb more sweat from the body."

He notes that using face towel instead of handkerchief makes him presentable in spite of the sweat and he ensures that deodorant is always handy in the car.

Whichever way the discussion goes, Nature has a way to balance the act, and if you sweat excessively, look out for control mechanisms and take proper hygiene into consideration, doctors' advice. (By Folasade Folarin, NAN)