Decoding sweat to monitor health

Engineering Our sweat carries biomolecules, such as electrolytes, metabolites, and hormones, that can be used probe the state of our bodies at a chemical level. Nyein et al. developed a wearable microfluidic patch that captures sweat, which they used to predict whole-body fluid and electrolyte loss during exercise. Secretion rate and sodium levels show a positive correlation across regions of the body and among study subjects. Correlation between regional fluid loss and whole-body water loss could be used to track hydration status. Sci. Adv. 10.1126/sciadv.aaw9906 (2019).