Why calcium is so important for our bodies – and why many Asians are lactose intolerant

Children are taught to drink plenty of milk to ensure they get enough calcium to help strengthen their bones and teeth; however, not everyone can consume dairy.

Lactose intolerance – a disorder which inhibits the ability to digest lactose found in dairy products – is believed to affect about 90 per cent of Asians, according to the US National Library of Medicine. This is in stark contrast to only 10 per cent of Europeans.

Despite the majority of Asians being lactose intolerant, China has experienced a rise in dairy consumption in the past few decades – possibly because of an influence from Western cultures. So, how important is calcium for our bodies? And are there other ways of getting enough of it without consuming dairy products?

Our body contains more calcium than any other mineral, and around 99 per cent is concentrated in the teeth and bones. It is also found in our nerve cells, body tissue, blood and other body fluids. A person who weighs 70kg will have about one kilogram of calcium in their body. 

The mineral also helps our muscles to move and contract, our nerves to transmit information to the brain, our blood to circulate around the body, and aids the release of hormones, such as insulin, and enzymes. We must consume enough calcium to sustain these functions and to ward off the development of certain diseases.

The reason many people from Asia have a high tendency to be lactose intolerant is because they frequently lack the enzyme lactase, that allows the body to absorb the sugar, lactose. While Americans get 72 per cent of their calcium from dairy products (according to Institute of Medicine US), there are plenty of other foods which will deliver a healthy dose of the mineral.