# Sweat components as a promising monitoring tool for systemic diseases

**Authors:** Changqi Shi, Ziyi Chen, LuLu Zhang, Xiaomeng Zhang, Xiaoyu Liang, Lan Yan, Xiaopeng Hao, Guoju Dong, Cheng Lu, Luqi Huang

PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.jphyss.2026.100068 · 2026-03-15

## TL;DR

Sweat can reveal important health information and may be used to monitor systemic diseases non-invasively.

## Contribution

The paper reviews how sweat components reflect systemic physiological changes and their potential for non-invasive disease monitoring.

## Key findings

- Sweat composition changes with systemic diseases, reflecting metabolic, endocrine, immune, and neural dysregulation.
- Key sweat components like electrolytes, glucose, lactate, amino acids, and proteins are linked to disease states.
- Mechanisms like transdermal diffusion and transporter-mediated secretion explain how sweat mirrors systemic health.

## Abstract

Sweat is a complex biological fluid primarily responsible for thermoregulation, containing diverse organic and inorganic components derived from plasma and interstitial fluids. Its secretion is tightly regulated by hypothalamic–sympathetic pathways and reflects systemic physiological status. Recent studies reveal that sweat composition dynamically changes with various systemic diseases, providing diagnostic, mechanistic, and prognostic insights. Abnormalities in sweat components, such as electrolytes, glucose, lactate, amino acids, and proteins, mirror underlying metabolic, endocrine, immune, and neural dysregulation. This review synthesizes current evidence on how these alterations arise from specific physiological mechanisms—including transdermal diffusion, transporter-mediated secretion (e.g., GLUT2, CFTR), ductal reabsorption, and autonomic control—linking sweat gland biology to systemic homeostasis. These insights support the clinical development of sweat as a non-invasive biofluid for disease monitoring.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** SLC2A2 (solute carrier family 2 member 2) [NCBI Gene 6514], CFTR (CF transmembrane conductance regulator) [NCBI Gene 1080]

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** AQP5 (aquaporin 5) [NCBI Gene 362] {aka AQP-5, PPKB}, PTH (parathyroid hormone) [NCBI Gene 5741] {aka FIH1, PTH1}, IGHE (immunoglobulin heavy constant epsilon) [NCBI Gene 3497] {aka IgE}, CFTR (CF transmembrane conductance regulator) [NCBI Gene 1080] {aka ABC35, ABCC7, CF, CFTR/MRP, MRP7, TNR-CFTR}, SLC2A2 (solute carrier family 2 member 2) [NCBI Gene 6514] {aka GLUT2}, ACHE (acetylcholinesterase (Yt blood group)) [NCBI Gene 43] {aka ACEE, ARACHE, N-ACHE, YT}, DEFB103B (defensin beta 103B) [NCBI Gene 55894] {aka BD-3, DEFB-3, DEFB103, DEFB3, HBD-3, HBD3}, NPY (neuropeptide Y) [NCBI Gene 4852] {aka PYY4}, SLC14A1 (solute carrier family 14 member 1 (Kidd blood group)) [NCBI Gene 6563] {aka HUT11, HUT11A, HsT1341, JK, Jk(a), Jk(b)}, DCD (dermcidin) [NCBI Gene 117159] {aka AIDD, DCD-1, DSEP, HCAP, PIF}, FOXA1 (forkhead box A1) [NCBI Gene 3169] {aka HNF3A, TCF3A}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, IL37 (interleukin 37) [NCBI Gene 27178] {aka FIL1, FIL1(ZETA), FIL1Z, IL-1F7, IL-1H, IL-1H4}, CLDN3 (claudin 3) [NCBI Gene 1365] {aka C7orf1, CPE-R2, CPETR2, HRVP1, RVP1}, CAMP (cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide) [NCBI Gene 820] {aka CAP-18, CAP18, CRAMP, FALL-39, FALL39, HSD26}, PIP (prolactin induced protein) [NCBI Gene 5304] {aka BRST-2, GCDFP-15, GCDFP15, GPIP4}, INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10}, CRP (C-reactive protein) [NCBI Gene 1401] {aka PTX1}, MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) [NCBI Gene 4282] {aka GIF, GLIF, MMIF}
- **Diseases:** impaired purine (MESH:C562587), anhidrosis (MESH:D007007), circulatory disorders (MESH:D012769), IBD (MESH:D015212), itching (MESH:D011537), dermatitis (MESH:D003872), Thyroid dysfunction (MESH:D013959), weight gain (MESH:D015430), metabolic (MESH:D008659), uremic (MESH:D006463), insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), Carbohydrate metabolism abnormalities (MESH:D002239), infection (MESH:D007239), Autoimmune diseases (MESH:D001327), systole (MESH:D000092244), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (MESH:D010523), pyogenic hidradenitis (MESH:D016575), glands (MESH:D000307), hypoglycemic (MESH:C000721848), atrophy (MESH:D001284), Amino acid and protein metabolism abnormalities (MESH:D000592), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), HS (MESH:D017497), disease of (MESH:D004194), cardiac maladjustment (MESH:D006331), breast, prostate, and endometrial cancer (MESH:D011471), CF (MESH:D003550), AD (MESH:D003876), renal dysfunction (MESH:D007674), Paroxysmal sweating (MESH:D013543), Diabetic nephropathy (MESH:D003928), demyelination (MESH:D003711), death (MESH:D003643), eye diseases (MESH:D005128), lung cancer (MESH:D008175), Hypothyroidism (MESH:D007037), visual impairment (MESH:D014786), T2DM (MESH:D003924), Obesity (MESH:D009765), Cancer (MESH:D009369), CholU (MESH:C535672), weight loss (MESH:D015431), cardiovascular diseases (MESH:D002318), nerve loss (MESH:C537568), HF (MESH:D006333), hyperglycemia (MESH:D006943), gout (MESH:D006073), neurological dysfunction (MESH:D009461), bradycardia (MESH:D001919), of respiratory system (MESH:D015619), T1D (MESH:D003922), urticaria (MESH:D014581), Circulation system disease (MESH:D009360), erectile dysfunction (MESH:D007172), endocrine, immune, and neural dysregulation (OMIM:614878), Hyperhidrosis (MESH:D006945), fatigue (MESH:D005221), :Harada (VKH) disease (MESH:D014607), Diabetic neuropathy (MESH:D003929), hyperactivity of the hypothalamic (MESH:D007027)
- **Chemicals:** calcium (MESH:D002118), nonanedioic acid (MESH:C010038), Cortisol (MESH:D006854), NA (MESH:D012964), L-citrulline (MESH:D002956), ceramides (MESH:D002518), 25-(OH)2-D3 (-), UA (MESH:D014527), T4 (MESH:D013974), phosphate (MESH:D010710), T3 (MESH:D014284), serine (MESH:D012694), L-LA (MESH:D019344), sphingolipids (MESH:D013107), oil (MESH:D009821), chloride (MESH:D002712), histamine (MESH:D006632), catecholamines (MESH:D002395), ACh (MESH:D000109), Amino Acids (MESH:D000596), blood glucose (MESH:D001786), aldosterone (MESH:D000450), Bicarbonate (MESH:D001639), Dermcidin (MESH:C442243), Cl- (MESH:D002713), Carbohydrates (MESH:D002241), glycine (MESH:D005998), D (MESH:D003903), water (MESH:D014867), K+ (MESH:D011188), Urea (MESH:D014508), Glucose (MESH:D005947), NaCl (MESH:D012965), Lipids (MESH:D008055), ADR (MESH:D004317)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13015676/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13015676