Utah Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

What composes the secretion of eccrine sweat?

1. Proteins and lipids

2. Water and salts

3. Hormones and enzymes

4. Sugars and fats

The correct answer is: Water and salts

The secretion of eccrine sweat is primarily composed of water and salts, particularly sodium chloride. Eccrine sweat glands are the most numerous type of sweat glands in the body and are responsible for regulating body temperature through the process of evaporative cooling. When the body heats up, these glands produce sweat that is largely made of water, which then evaporates off the skin surface, helping to cool the body. The presence of salts in the sweat is crucial as it helps to maintain electrolyte balance in the body. This combination of water and salts allows eccrine sweat to be effective in thermoregulation and in maintaining homeostasis. Other substances like proteins, lipids, hormones, enzymes, sugars, and fats may be found in different types of sweat or other secretions but are not the primary components of eccrine sweat.