Perspire

The term perspire means to excrete perspiration through the pores of one's skin. Specifically, when one perspires it is in reference to the production and evaporation of sweat. Sweat is a fluid that contains mostly water as well as other compounds like sodium chloride, o-cresol and p-cresol. The sweat glands are what eliminate this fluid from the body, in humans as well as in other mammals.

Why do people perspire? Mainly, to perspire allows people to maintain a suitable body temperature, even when surrounding conditions change. If the body is unable to keep a healthy temperature in changing climates, then dangerous conditions can develop, namely hyperthermia (heatstroke) or hypothermia (when the body temperature drops below normal).

The evaporation of this liquid then has a cooling effect on the temperature. When a person is hot or when vigorous activity takes place more sweat is produced. There are also two types of sweat glands involved when one perspires: Eccrine and Apocrine.

Eccrine sweat glands are found all around the body, particularly in the palms, feet and forehead. This perspire liquid is mainly water with salt compounds and is used for body temperature control. Apocrine sweat glands are found mainly in the armpits and around a person's genitals. When a person perspires through the Apocrine glands, it tends to cause a foul odor because bacteria is breaking down this fatty organic compound and leaving behind waste.

There are also other conditions that can cause a person to perspire. Sweating can be caused by feelings of nervousness and nausea, while cold temperatures reduce sweating. Humans, primates and hoses sweat in much the same manner, while other mammals such as dogs accomplish this form of temperature regulation through panting. To perspire is only human and because it is meant for temperature control, you could say that perspiration helps keep you alive.