Scientists Say Sweat May Hold Secrets About Your Health — Here’s How

New technology can make it much easier to monitor patients’ basic health parameters.

Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed an electronic fingertip bracelet that monitors important levels of chemicals — such as glucose, vitamins and even medications — using only human sweat, the university said in a news release.

This innovative technology is said to be as easy to wear as wearing an adhesive plaster.

The research results were published on September 3 in the journal Nature Electronics.

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“This is the first demonstration of a completely electrically powered sweat platform (extraction and detection) that enables noninvasive monitoring of multiple biomarkers to support a wide range of practical scenarios in personalized healthcare monitoring and wellness management,” Joseph Wang, PhD, professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Chair in Chemical Engineering and Nanoengineering at UC San Diego, told Fox News Digital in an email.

Scientists say the device fits snugly around the finger and draws its power from sweat.

“The fingertips, despite their small size, are among the most abundant sweat producers in the body. Each fingertip has over 1,000 sweat glands,” we read in a press release.

The device is constructed of electronic components and printed on a thin, flexible and stretchable polymer material.

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The researchers said the material conforms to the shape of the finger and is “strong enough to withstand repeated bending, stretching, and movement.”

Wang added: “It is based on the extraordinary integration of energy harvesting and storage components, with multiple biological sensors in a fluidic microchannel, along with a corresponding electronic controller, all at your fingertips.”

Health at your fingertips – literally

The research team found that clinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of finger wraps.

“The fingertip micromesh works automatically once it’s put on the finger,” study co-author Dr. Shichao Ding, a research associate in Wang’s research group at the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California, San Diego, told Fox News Digital in an email.

Participants wore the device on their fingertip while performing daily activities such as desk work, walking, eating and sleeping to assess the “real-time performance of the sensors and energy harvesting system.”

Ding added that biomarker levels can be automatically monitored from sweat, allowing for ongoing health monitoring.

Scientists say the glands in your fingertips can produce 100 to 1,000 times more sweat than most other areas of your body, even when you’re at rest.

“The fingertips are among the most prolific sweat producers in the body, each containing more than 1,000 sweat glands.”

“This constant stream of natural sweat — without any stimulus or physical activity — provides a reliable source of energy, powering the device even during periods of inactivity or sleep,” they said.

Ding added: “Autonomous power supply, detection and treatment in one device — that is the ultimate goal.”

Next steps

In the future, scientists plan to increase the device’s efficiency by using additional energy harvesting techniques.

According to Ding, this may involve generating mechanical energy from human movement, such as finger movements such as tapping or typing on a keyboard.

Researchers are working to optimize the design of the circuit, battery, low-power sensor modules, and data transmission to extend the device’s lifespan, stability, and functionality, which will help ensure a sustainable balance between energy generation and consumption.

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“Scientists are working to create a closed system that not only monitors biomarkers but also applies treatment based on the collected data,” Ding told Fox News Digital.

“For example, in the case of diabetes, such a device could continuously monitor glucose levels, automatically deliver insulin as needed, and then assess the effectiveness of treatment by further monitoring biomarker levels.”

Pioneering innovation

Seokheun “Sean” Choi, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering at Binghamton University in New York, was not involved in the development of the device but spoke about its potential.

Wearable technology has made significant progress, notes Choi, who specializes in developing biosensor and bioenergy technologies, including self-powered biosensors and other solutions for personalized health monitoring.

“But achieving true energy independence — where devices are self-contained and always on — remains a significant challenge,” he told Fox News Digital.

Current wearable devices rely on batteries or other energy storage devices, Choi noted, which pose limitations “due to their weight and limited energy capacity.”

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He confirmed that the finger band is a “revolution” in terms of simple energy generation and health monitoring.

“To realize the next generation of wearable applications, energy autonomy is essential, enabling devices to operate continuously, independently and self-sufficiently,” Choi said.

“Autonomous power, detection, and treatment in one device—that’s the ultimate goal.”

“Professor Wang’s group pioneered the integration of sweat-driven electrochemical fuel cells with an energy storage device, achieving sustained high performance by using sweat from fingertips to generate significant power,” he continued.

“It was revolutionary because sweat was non-invasively and practically collected from the fingertip in a simple, direct way.”

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Choi added that the solution not only enables monitoring of metabolic functions, but also has the potential to be used in a wide range of medical applications.