Q. You have occasionally written about excessively sweaty feet. I had this problem for years, but it went away when I switched from regular to decaf coffee for other reasons.
Today, I can drink one cup of regular coffee in the morning with no problem. But if I have two cups, I have to keep a towel handy for both my hands and feet.
A. People with excessive sweating of their hands and feet (hyperhidrosis) are often desperate for relief. Some of the treatments used for underarms or hands (Botox injections, surgery) are not appropriate for feet.
Caffeine and Sweat
Thanks for telling us about your solution. This has not been extensively investigated, but we found a study showing that caffeine increases sensitivity to sweating triggers (Journal of Medicinal Food, Nov. 2011).
Additional Tactics
Other approaches include soaking the feet in a strong solution of tea, since tannin can have an astringent effect and diminish sweating. Using fluffy tannic acid powder together with bentonite in talc to powder socks is another option.
Readers recommend wool socks, possibly with sock liners designed to wick sweat away. Here’s what Greg from Dallas, TX, had to say:
“My feet were always getting damp from perspiration, until I started wearing wool socks. The wool wicks the moisture away from my feet.
“In addition, part of the problem is the moisture that remains inside your shoes. To dry them out, I use cedar shoe trees. I leave them in a pair of shoes for about 24 hours, and alternate shoes. I have two pairs of shoe trees so the shoes get maximum drying time.
“Wool socks and shoe trees have made my feet more comfortable!”
