Body odour is a common problem most us have to deal with on busy days.

But there are ways to control it - even down to the type of food we eat.

Dr Eleanor Higgins is a consultant dermatologist at the Blackrock Clinic.

She told Pat Kenny people generally won't be able to tell by themselves.

"Sometimes with time people's sense of smell tends to deaden to various scents.

"Some people won't notice that they do have a body odour.

"And when we discuss treatment, it's important to be aware of the difference between deodorants - which just mask the smell of body odour - and antiperspirants, which actually reduce sweating and are actually much more effective.

"It tends to be more common in men, probably because they have more hair-bearing areas - and we know the bacteria is harboured in the hair.

"Sometimes it's activity levels as well - men may be more active - that might increase body odour in males more than females".

Dr Higgins said sweat is a natural reaction for our bodies.

"Sweat acts to cool our body, so it's a normal response to exercise and heat.

"Your body is very clever; it's able to thermoregulate, or control its own temperature.

"So using antiperspirants in just certain areas, such as the underarms, does not cause problems with body temperature regulation".

A man applying antiperspirant to his underarms. Picture by: Yuri Arcurs / Alamy Stock Photo

So how does a good antiperspirant work?

"Antiperspirants have aluminium chloride salts - so those salts go into your sweat glands and block the secretion of sweat.

"They're very effective but they can be a little bit irritating for some people - so we recommend that people apply them at night time.

"Sometimes people, because they're so effective, people use them maybe on alternate days".

And she said even the food and drink we consume will affect our BO.

"There are multiple foods that can impact your body odour.

"So for example high sulphur foods - onion, garlic, colliflower, cabbage - that can change your body odour.

"Spicy foods can also change your body odour, and they can also increase sweating because the capsaicin in curries tricks your body into thinking it needs to sweat.

"Alcohol and high meat diets can also affect body odour", she added.

Main image: A man jogging by the roadside with sweat covering his shirt. Picture by: Geoff Smith / Alamy Stock Photo