AGENT FOR SUPPRESSION AND AMELIORATION OF REDUCTION IN LORICRIN, TRANSGLUTAMINASE 3 ACTIVATOR, AND AGENT FOR FORMATION PROMOTION AND STRUCTURE REINFORCEMENT OF CORNIFIED ENVELOPE IN SKIN STRATUM CORNEUM
The present invention relates to: an agent for inhibiting or improving the decrease of loricrin in a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin, a transglutaminase-3 activator, and an agent for promoting the formation of a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin or for strengthening the structure of a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin, each of which contains sphingomyelin as an active ingredient; a composition; and a food or beverage. According to the present invention, it becomes possible to inhibit or improve the decrease of loricrin in a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin, and it also becomes possible to activate transglutaminase-3 in a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin. Therefore, it becomes possible to promote the formation of a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin and strengthen the structure of a cornified envelope of a horny cell layer of the skin. Due to these effects, the deterioration of a barrier function of skin can be prevented, inhibited or improved in a safe, simple and economically advantageous manner.