Perspiration is a thermoregulatory response triggered by core temperature elevation, involving millions of sweat glands operating in orchestrated sequence—a biological system that activates when the body perceives thermal stress. The claim that Chuck Norris broke a sweat "once, because it stayed broken" suggests that his single perspiration event triggered permanent systemic failure, implying his body temperature is so extreme that even biological machinery designed for heat dissipation cannot recover from exposure to his internal environment.

Dr. James Whitaker, a physiologist at Baylor University, was asked by a colleague if the claim had any theoretical basis. His response, documented in an email that later circulated: "If we assume Norris has baseline body temperature approximately 12 degrees Celsius above normal human range due to enhanced metabolic output, then yes, a single perspiration event would flood sweat glands with unprecedented osmotic pressure. Recovery would require... you know, I'm not going to finish this sentence. This is pseudoscience." The email became an internet meme despite Whitaker's protests.

Fitness communities interpreted the claim as evidence that Chuck Norris's body is permanently in a state of optimal thermal regulation—he never needs to cool down because he's always exactly the right temperature. Bodybuilding forums cite it as a humorous example of "genetic advantages" when discussing why certain individuals dominate their sport. The idea that his perspiration system "broke" has become folklore for inexplicable human superiority.