FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE SCIENCE

BASE2134 APPLIED SPORTS NUTRITION

PRACTICAL REPORT 5

DETERMINING SWEAT RATE

YEAR OF STUDY: RSE2 (GROUP 2)

LECTURER: MR. CHAN KAI QUIN

Name Student ID
CHIA SHUANG TZE 19WLR06658
ANG ING HAO 19WLR06655
GANESHWAREN A/L NAGALINGAM 19WLR01570
LIM WAI SAM 19WLR06669
Introduction

In sports and exercise sweating is very common among athletes and at times when fluid
balance is not maintained properly and sweat loss is in excess leaving the body to lose more than
2% of body water can cause in an evident drop in performance (Edwards et al., 2007), the
decrease in performance can be impair mental/cognitive abilities in studies found that their
arithmetic ability, the visuomotor tracking ability and short-term memory seems to suffer as they
went into a dehydrated state (Kleiner, 1999). Physical performance where continuous physical
exercise in a state of water loss cam impair the body’s ability in producing strength, the capacity
of their anaerobic, the power of both their aerobic and anaerobic, and lactate threshold (Kleiner,
1999). Therefore in a condition of increased sweat loss, fluid replacement is important to keep
the body at a fluid balance state and hydrated to optimally perform at their sport or exercise, the
recommendation for fluid intake can strategically place before, during and after exercise
(Kleiner, 1999).

Nonetheless sweating is still important for the human body, it is a physiological response
of the body signaling to cool off the body when it is detected that it is not at its optimum
temperate this mechanism is thermoregulation (McCutcheon, 1995). For getting the most out of
sweating it is most effective when sweat is evaporated at the skin to reap the benefits of
sweating; cooling off the body (Shapiro, Pandolf & Goldman, 1982).

The rate of sweating increase as the temperature of the body increase usually due to the
physical demands that is impose on the body which is intense exercise or the body is being
exposed to a hot environment as compared to cooler environments, the increase rate of sweating
can lead to not only water loss in the body but also the loss of electrolyte (McCutcheon, 1995). It
is not confirmed what are the compartment of fluids that is loss in the process of sweating
however the accepted notion is that water loss through sweat constitute of plasma volume and
interstitial fluid, however other studies seem to deny of this notion where it found there is no loss
in the body’s plasma volume after being exposed to prolonged exercise (Kozlowski & Saltin,
1964).
 The increase of body temperature especially in the muscles where most of the heat come
from due to the demands of the activity, should not be looked at as a failure of the body is
regulating heat but rather it should be looked upon as the changing in the set of mechanism of the
thermoregulatory system (Nielsen, 1965). The rate of sweat loss in however proportional to what
intensity and the duration being prescribed to the body not only forgetting the condition of the
ambient environment at the time of which exercise is being done and recovery (McCutcheon,
1995). In this practical we are assessing the sweat rate of RSE2 students in the magnitude of their
sweat losses during an exercise through measuring the changes in their body mass.
Equipment
 Weighing scales

Protocol
1. Prior to the start of the sport activity, pre-exercise body mass (A in kg) measurement was
done on an accurate scales. Individual remove all their clothing except underwear when
measured.
2. After the sport activity, excess sweat was toweled off, and post-exercise body mass (B)
was measured. Total body mass change was calculated (C = A – B kg).
3. Drink volume that was consumed was recorded during the sport activity, between
weighing, (D) expressed in kg (assuming 1L=1kg and 1ml=1g).
4. Urine volume passed was recorded during exercise, between weighing (E) expressed in
kg (assume 1L=1kg and 1ml=1g).
5. Sweat loss is calculated (F) based on F = C + D – E (in kg) and expressed as liters
6. The average sweat rate (G) was calculated as F (liters) divided by the exercise duration in
hours.
7. The results were recorded down and discussed.
Results

Subject 1

Name : Lim Wai Sam

1. Pre-exercise body mass (A):

 A = 64.2kg

2. Post-exercise body mass (B):

 B = 63.4kg

3. Total body mass change (C):

 A–B=C
 64.2 – 63.4 = 0.8kg
 C = 0.8kg

4. Drink volume consumed during exercise (D):

 D = 0L

5. Urine volume during exercise (E):

 E = 0L

6. Sweat loss (F):

 C+D-E=F
 0.8 + 0 - 0 = 0.8kg (1L)
 F = 0.8L

7. Average sweat loss (G):

 F/Time = G
 0.8L/1hour = 0.8L/hour
 G = 0.8L/hour
Subject 2

Name : Chia Shuang Tze

1. Pre-exercise body mass (A):

 A = 54.6kg

2. Post-exercise body mass (B):

 B = 53.6

3. Total body mass change (C):

 A–B=C
 54.6 – 53.6 = 1kg
 C = 1kg

4. Drink volume consumed during exercise (D):

 D = 0L

5. Urine volume during exercise (E):

 E = 0L

6. Sweat loss (F):

 C+D-E=F
 1 + 0 - 0 = 1kg (1L)
 F = 1L

7. Average sweat loss (G):

 F/Time = G
 1L/1hour = 1kg/hour
 G = 1kg/hour
Subject 3

Name : Ganeshwaren

1. Pre-exercise body mass (A):

 A = 63.5kg

2. Post-exercise body mass (B):

 B = 62.3kg

3. Total body mass change (C):

 A–B=C
 63.5 – 62.3 = 1.2kg
 C = 1.2kg

4. Drink volume consumed during exercise (D):

 D = 0L

5. Urine volume during exercise (E):

 E = 0L

6. Sweat loss (F):

 C+D-E=F
 1.2 + 0 - 0 = 1.2kg (1L)
 F = 1.2L

7. Average sweat loss (G):

 F/Time = G
 1.2kg/1hour = 1.2L/hour
 G = 1.2L/hour
Subject 4

Name : Ang Ing Hao

1. Pre-exercise body mass (A):

 A = 64.6kg

2. Post-exercise body mass (B):

 B = 64.1kg

3. Total body mass change (C):

 A–B=C
 64.6 – 64.1 = 0.5kg
 C = 0.5kg

4. Drink volume consumed during exercise (D):

 D = 0L

5. Urine volume during exercise (E):

 E = 0L

6. Sweat loss (F):

 C+D-E=F
 0.5 + 0 - 0 = 0.5kg (1L)
 F = 0.5L

7. Average sweat loss (G):

 F/Time = G
 0.5L /1 hour = 0.5L/hour
 G = 0.5L/hour
 Subject Pre-exercise Post-exercise Average
Body Mass Body Mass Sweat Loss
1 64.2kg 63.4kg 0.8L/hour
2 54.6kg 53.6kg 1.0L/hour
3 63.5kg 62.3kg 1.2L/hour
4 64.6kg 64.1kg 0.5L/hour
Table 1: Average sweat loss of RSE2 subjects.

Average Sweat Loss of RSE2 Students

1.4

1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
Subject 1 Subject 2 Subject 3 Subject 4

Average Sweat Loss (L/hour)

Figure 1. Average sweat loss of RSE2 subjects.

Discussion

Due to the subjects’ participation in the hour long intense team sport activity it has led the
subjects’ to sweat losses. From the results it is shown that sweat loss is highest in subject 3 with
on average losing 1.2 liters of sweat per hour with a body mass of 63.5kg prior to exercise, the
lowest sweat loss is found in subject 4 with only losing on average 0.5 liters of sweat per hour
and having a body mass of 64.4kg prior to exercise which is the highest among all of the subjects
in this report. Subject 2 having the lowest body mass of 54.6kg prior to exercise lost an average
of 1 liters of sweat per hour, while subject 1 having the second highest body mass among the
subjects loss an average of 0.8 liters of sweat per hour.

Having a heavier volume of sweat loss will definitely result in a decrease in sport
performance where subject will feel easily fatigued and an impair in their cognitive ability or
mental state and physical performance in both of their anaerobic and aerobic ability (Kleiner,
1999), from the results shown we can predict that subject 3 will notice to have the most drop in
performance and subject 4 will have the least drop in performance due to having the least loss in
sweat on average. It is signified in studies that a higher body mass will have a higher sweat loss
(Nuccio et al., 2017), this can reflect in the results of subject 3 who lost the most sweat but
though subject 4 having the highest body mass among the subjects results shows that he lost the
least sweat, yet other factor can contribute as well such as wearing more clothing or protecting
equipment can also influence sweat loss (Nuccio et al., 2017). It is important to also understand
that every individual varies in their sweat due to genetics where in women they have more sweat
glands than men, and where some individual has lesser distribution of sweat glands or more on
the other (Nuccio et al., 2017).
Conclusion

Sweat is an important physiological function of the body to maintain the homeostasis of the
body’s temperature to function optimally during an intense exercise in sports yet balance in fluid
is also important for the body to perform at its peak for athletes in sport or exercise activities.
Therefore it is important to take note to always hydrate before, during and after sporting or
exercise activities for athletes to prevent any fluid and electrolyte losses that can compromise the
athletes’ performance or even health.

References

1. Kleiner, S. M. (1999). Water: an essential but overlooked nutrient. Journal of the

American Dietetic Association, 99(2), 200-206.
2. Edwards, A. M., Mann, M. E., Marfell-Jones, M. J., Rankin, D. M., Noakes, T. D., &
Shillington, D. P. (2007). Influence of moderate dehydration on soccer performance:
physiological responses to 45 min of outdoor match-play and the immediate subsequent
performance of sport-specific and mental concentration tests. British Journal of Sports
Medicine, 41(6), 385-391.
3. McCutcheon, L. J., Geor, R. J., Hare, M. J., Ecker, G. L., & Lindinger, M. I. (1995).
Sweating rate and sweat composition during exercise and recovery in ambient heat and
humidity. Equine Veterinary Journal, 27(S20), 153-157.
4. Shapiro, Y., Pandolf, K. B., & Goldman, R. F. (1982). Predicting sweat loss response to
exercise, environment and clothing. European Journal of Applied Physiology and
Occupational Physiology, 48(1), 83-96.
5. Kozlowski, S., & Saltin, B. (1964). Effect of sweat loss on body fluids. Journal of
Applied Physiology, 19(6), 1119-1124.
6. Nielsen, B., & Nielsen, M. (1965). On the regulation of sweat secretion in exercise. Acta
physiologica Scandinavica, 64(4), 314-322.
7. Nuccio, R. P., Barnes, K. A., Carter, J. M., & Baker, L. B. (2017). Fluid balance in team
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performance. Sports Medicine, 47(10), 1951-1982.