Exercise Sweat Detoxes Heavy Metals

A 2022 study, published in the International Journal of Environmental and Public Health, examined how different sweating conditions influence the excretion of heavy metals. While it is long understood that sweating is a safe and effective method of detoxification, especially for purging heavy metals from the body, it is relatively unknown if the type of sweating makes a difference.

To explore this question, researchers recruited a small group of 12 healthy university students (6 men, 6 women) who provided sweat samples after either running on a treadmill or sitting in a sauna. Each produced at least 7 mL of sweat in 20 minutes, which was analyzed for nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg).

The results showed that the sweating method significantly affected heavy metal concentrations. Ni, Pb, Cu, and As were secreted in higher concentrations during dynamic exercise compared with sauna exposure, while Hg levels did not differ between conditions.

This outcome supports previous findings that dynamic exercise more effectively purges toxic elements from the body. The difference is likely due to physiological mechanisms: exercise boosts core temperature and blood flow, carrying more metals from deep in the body into excreted sweat, while sitting in heat mainly triggers surface-level sweating with fewer metals released.

While limited by its small, homogeneous sample, this study is the first to directly compare two sweating conditions for heavy metal excretion. Findings suggest that dynamic exercise may be more effective than passive sauna use for detoxification, with potential implications for populations exposed to toxic metals.