Sweat monitoring for health tracking made possible by hydrogels

A new review published in Intelligent Sports and Health highlights the potential of hydrogel-based wearable devices to revolutionize personal health monitoring by analyzing sweat. Unlike blood tests, which are invasive and require clinical settings, sweat sensors can track biomarkers like glucose, lactate, and electrolytes in real time, offering a painless and continuous way to monitor conditions such as diabetes, dehydration, and muscle fatigue.

Hydrogels—soft, water-absorbing materials—are ideal for sweat sensing due to their flexibility, biocompatibility, and ability to be tailored for specific functions. They can be used to collect sweat through skin contact, detect biomarkers via color changes or electrical signals, and even power the device using body movement.

“Hydrogels are not only highly compatible with human skin but also tunable in their physical and chemical properties, making them perfect for next-generation wearable health monitors,” said Dr. Zhen Nie, study's lead author.

The review also points to emerging trends, such as the use of natural polymers like cellulose and alginate to create eco-friendly and safe sensors, and the integration of self-powered systems that harvest energy from sweat or motion.

Despite progress, the authors noted that challenges remain in ensuring long-term stability and large-scale production. “Future research will focus on improving accuracy, enabling multi-biomarker detection, and incorporating artificial intelligence for smarter health insights,” said Nie.

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Contact the author: Yu Chen, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, bityuchen@bit.edu.cn

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