Hydration and Hyperhidrosis

by Kamilla W, PharmD, RPh

Kamilla is a co-founder of Undefined Health and pharmacist who received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Rutgers University, summa cum laude. She is also a hyperhidrosis sufferer and mother of two children.

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Hydration and Hyperhidrosis

Dehydration

It probably seems obvious, but people with hyperhidrosis lose more fluids than the average person because they sweat more than the average person. This water loss, in the form of sweat, puts you at a higher risk of dehydration. Dehydration can cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps.

More Water, Less Sweat?

Even though it may seem counterintuitive, proper hydration can reduce sweating because the body does not have to work as hard to cool itself. Hyperhidrosis is, by definition, sweating more than the body needs to in order to regulate body temperature, but optimizing the sweating needed to regulate body temperature may help reduce the total amount of sweat in a given day. To be clear, proper hydration will not cure hyperhidrosis, but it may support overall management, even if only through optimizing overall health.

How to Hydrate

The goal is to consume enough water to prevent dehydration but not so much that it overwhelms the body's natural fluid balance. Fortunately, this is a fairly broad range, and factors such as weather, activity level, and your baseline level of perspiration all impact your individual hydration requirements.
Adding electrolytes to your water can help replenish minerals lost in sweat (for example, sodium). There are many electrolyte powders available for sale, but I personally recommend LMNT, which is available on Amazon (product link). If you are on a diet where you are required to restrict sodium intake, another option that I would recommend is from IQMIX, also available on Amazon (product link). Beyond electrolyte powders, you can consider coconut water or natural fruit juices, but beware of the sugar content of these beverages.
Lastly, limit or avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Not only can they dehydrate you, but they can also make sweating worse.
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