Eli5 what’s the purpose of sodium or salt in our sweat? I understand sweating is supposed to cool us down but why is there salt in sweat.

Question

Eli5 what’s the purpose of sodium or salt in our sweat? I understand sweating is supposed to cool us down but why is there salt in sweat.

In: Biology

Answer 1

Something others haven’t mentioned yet is that the body doesn’t really move water from compartment to compartment. It moves salt and water follows the salt. This is true for your urine, your sweat, and really for the water balance of every single cell in your body. Cells can stop water from moving, but they can’t really push it – they just push salt and water follows.