Sweating in thick clothes won't help you lose weight, experts warn

K-pop star Karina's past revelation of wearing multiple layers, including a padded jacket, during intense practice sessions to manage weight has resurfaced as a topic of discussion. Similarly, actor Park Sung-woong recalled filming in sweltering heat while wearing heavy, ill-fitting armor, noting a "natural diet" effect. These anecdotes highlight a common belief that sweating profusely leads to significant weight and fat loss.

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Sweat is not an indicator of exercise effectiveness. Sweat is a physiological response to lower body temperature, not a measure of energy expended.

However, medical professionals caution against this approach. Three specialists interviewed by Dong-A Ilbo emphasize that such methods offer little to no weight loss benefits and can pose health risks. "Sweat is not an indicator of exercise effectiveness," explains Yoon Ji-hyun, a professor of family medicine at Korea University Anam Hospital. "Sweat is a physiological response to lower body temperature, not a measure of energy expended." The immediate drop in weight after exercise is largely due to fluid loss, which is easily regained by drinking water, rather than actual fat reduction.

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The only way for the body to release heat is through sweat evaporation, but tight, non-ventilating clothes block that pathway.

Exerting oneself in non-breathable clothing can hinder the body's natural cooling process. "The only way for the body to release heat is through sweat evaporation, but tight, non-ventilating clothes block that pathway," says Im Ji-yong, an emergency medicine specialist at The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine. This can lead to a dangerous rise in body temperature. While long sleeves can offer protection from strong sunlight in dry environments, they are not recommended for humid conditions like Korea's summer. "Whether one wears long or short sleeves is less important than whether sweat can evaporate," Yoon adds.

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Pushing through prolonged exercise in extreme heat or wearing sweat suits until heat exhaustion is not acclimatization training. It significantly increases the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.

Repeated exposure to heat can indeed lead to heat acclimatization, improving the body's efficiency in sweating and reducing physiological strain. However, this adaptation requires gradual exposure, adequate rest, and hydration, typically over one to two weeks. "Pushing through prolonged exercise in extreme heat or wearing sweat suits until heat exhaustion is not acclimatization training," warns Lee Seung-yeon, a family medicine professor at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. "It significantly increases the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke." Furthermore, heat acclimatization is not permanent and diminishes within one to two weeks of inactivity, meaning previous tolerance does not guarantee safety in subsequent periods.

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Whether one wears long or short sleeves is less important than whether sweat can evaporate.