This is a big one. It’s thought that taking collagen could reduce the risk of heart-related problems as collagen provides structure to your arteries. Without enough of the stuff, your arteries could become weak and fragile and this could lead to atherosclerosis, a disease involving your arteries narrowing and potentially even leading to strokes and heart attacks.

A study of healthy adults who took a collagen supplement for six months found that there was a significant reduction in artery stiffness from before they started taking the supplement. Additionally, the levels of good cholesterol in their body were raised, which indicates overall good heart health in a more general sense. If heart disease runs in your family, or you simply want to take every step possible to protect yourself from a future of potentially poor heart health, taking collagen supplements isn’t a bad way to do that (especially when they come with all of the additional benefits mentioned above).