Calcium is present in most foods, notably dairy products, such as milk and cheese, and is often found in small fish and some vegetables. It has been known for a long time that calcium is beneficial for the strength of our bones. In addition, scientists have discovered that calcium also plays an important role in the heart. The heart beats more than 2 billion times during an average person's lifetime to circulate the blood, which is needed to provide energy to every part of the body. The heart consists, among many other things, of 3 billion heart muscle cells that squeeze together ("contract") during each heartbeat and together are responsible for the pumping function of the heart. To make sure that each cell contracts at the right moment, the heart uses an electrical signal that moves from cell to cell, much like a wave in a stadium, where the activity of one person activates their neighbor. Research during the last decades has revealed that calcium particles are responsible for the link between electrical activation and mechanical contraction. Calcium particles, which have an electrical charge, enter the heart muscle cells during each beat and contribute to the electrical signal.

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