Abstract: A medicine, a food or a drink and feed which are effective for preventing and/or improving decline, occurring with age (senescence), in memory and learning ability are provided. A novel microorganism having the effect of preventing and/or improving decline, occurring with age (senescence,) in memory and learning ability is provided. More specifically, the microorganism is characterized by being a microorganism belonging to Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc or Pediococcus, more specifically a microorganism belonging to any of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus gallinarum, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii, Bifidobacterium catenulatum, Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Streptococcus thermophiles, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum, Leuconostoc lactis, Pediococcus acidilactici and Pediococcus pentosaceus.

Abstract: A milk protein fraction having following properties (1) to (4) is excellent in bone resorption inhibitory effect, and is useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 12,000 to 16,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 18 to 20 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.7 to 0.9; and (4) the milk protein fraction has a bone resorption inhibitory effect.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bone-reinforcing agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 6,000 to 150,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 12 to 14 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an activity of accelerating the calcification in an osteoblast.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a peptide that is derived from a milk protein and has an antioxidative effect, an antioxidant that includes the peptide as an active ingredient, and an antioxidative food, drink, or feed that includes the peptide. The present invention also relates to a peptide that is derived from a milk protein and has an adiponectin production promotion effect, an adiponectin production promoter that includes the peptide as an active ingredient, and an adiponectin production promotion food, drink, or feed that includes the peptide. The present invention further relates to a blood adiponectin level increase promotion and/or decrease inhibition agent that includes a component contained in cheese as an active ingredient, and a blood adiponectin level increase promotion and/or decrease inhibition food or drink that includes a component contained in cheese.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of inhibiting a fat accumulation for a fat cell in a subject, which includes administering a fat accumulation inhibitor for a fat cell which includes a milk-derived phospholipid as an active ingredient to the subject. The present disclosure also relates to a method of inhibiting a visceral fat accumulation in a subject, which includes administering the visceral fat accumulation inhibitor which includes a sphingosine-containing phospholipid as an active ingredient to the subject. The present disclosure also relates to a method of accelerating increase and/or inhibiting decrease of an adiponectin concentration in blood, which includes administering an agent which includes a sphingosine-containing phospholipid as an active ingredient to the blood. The present disclosure also relates to a method of inhibiting a fat accumulation for a fat cell in a subject, which includes administering a milk-derived phospholipid to a subject.

Abstract: Our objective is to provide a novel lipid metabolism-improving reagent effective in preventing and treating hyperlipidemia and obesity and to provide this reagent in food, beverages, nutritional supplements, and fodders with the ability to improve lipid metabolism. The whey protein hydrolysate as the active ingredient in the lipid metabolism-improving reagent has a molecular weight distribution of 10 kDa or less, with the main peak between 200 Da to 3 kDa, average peptide chain length (APL) of 2-8, free amino acid content of 20% or less, antigenicity of 1/10,000 or less compared with that of ?-lactoglobulin.

Abstract: Disclosed is an agent for accelerating the increase in and/or preventing the decrease in the blood adiponectin level, or a food, beverage or animal feed for accelerating the increase in and/or preventing the decrease in the blood adiponectin level, which comprises a culture or cell of a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus, particularly Lactobacillus gasseri or Lactobacillus helveticus as an active ingredient. Also disclosed is a visceral fat accumulation inhibitor or a food or beverage for inhibiting the accumulation of a visceral fat, which comprises a culture or cell of Lactobacillus helveticus as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Disclosed is: a visceral fat accumulation inhibitor or a food or drink for inhibiting the accumulation of a visceral fat, which composes a fat globule membrane component as an active ingredient; or a agent or food or drink for promoting the increase in the blood adiponection level and/or inhibiting the decrease in the blood adiponection level, which composes a fat globule membrane component as an active ingredient. A fat globule membrane component can inhibit the accumulation of a visceral fat, and/or can promote the increase in or inhibit the decrease in the blood adiponection level.

Abstract: Provided are: an agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion, containing a milk-derived basic protein fraction as an active ingredient, with the promotion of growth hormone-secretion being mediated by the promotion of secretion of ghrelin having an effect for promoting growth hormone-secretion; and a method of promoting the secretion of ghrelin by using a milk-derived basic protein fraction. The agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion may be ingested on a daily basis and is highly safe even with its ingestion for a long period.

Abstract: Disclosed is an osteoblast differentiation promoting and osteoclast differentiation inhibiting agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following characteristics (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 75,000 to 85,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 13 to 15 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and has a basic amino acid/acidic amino acid of 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an osteoblast differentiation promoting effect and an osteoclast differentiation inhibiting.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bone-reinforcing agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 6,000 to 150,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 12 to 14 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an activity of accelerating the calcification in an osteoblast.

Abstract: A milk protein fraction having following properties (1) to (4) is excellent in bone resorption inhibitory effect, and is useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 12,000 to 16,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 18 to 20 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.7 to 0.9; and (4) the milk protein fraction has a bone resorption inhibitory effect.

Abstract: Disclosed is an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4) and the agent is excellent in an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory effect and useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 80,000 to 85,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 16 to 18 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.65 to 0.85; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an osteoclastogenesis inhibitory effect .

Abstract: Provided are: an agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion, containing a milk-derived basic protein fraction as an active ingredient, with the promotion of growth hormone-secretion being mediated by the promotion of secretion of ghrelin having an effect for promoting growth hormone-secretion; and a method of promoting the secretion of ghrelin by using a milk-derived basic protein fraction. The agent for promoting growth hormone-secretion may be ingested on a daily basis and is highly safe even with its ingestion for a long period.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a peptide that is derived from a milk protein and has an antioxidative effect, an antioxidant that includes the peptide as an active ingredient, and an antioxidative food, drink, or feed that includes the peptide. The present invention also relates to a peptide that is derived from a milk protein and has an adiponectin production promotion effect, an adiponectin production promoter that includes the peptide as an active ingredient, and an adiponectin production promotion food, drink, or feed that includes the peptide. The present invention further relates to a blood adiponectin level increase promotion and/or decrease inhibition agent that includes a component contained in cheese as an active ingredient, and a blood adiponectin level increase promotion and/or decrease inhibition food or drink that includes a component contained in cheese.

Abstract: Disclosed is an agent for accelerating the increase in and/or preventing the decrease in the blood adiponectin level, or a food, beverage or animal feed for accelerating the increase in and/or preventing the decrease in the blood adiponectin level, which comprises a culture or cell of a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus, particularly Lactobacillus gasseri or Lactobacillus helveticus as an active ingredient. Also disclosed is a visceral fat accumulation inhibitor or a food or beverage for inhibiting the accumulation of a visceral fat, which comprises a culture or cell of Lactobacillus helveticus as an active ingredient.

Abstract: To provide a fat accumulation inhibitor and a food or drink for inhibiting fat accumulation, a visceral fat accumulation inhibitor and a food or drink for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation, or an agent for accelerating increase and/or inhibiting decrease of an adiponectin concentration in blood and a food or drink for accelerating increase and/or inhibiting decrease of an adiponectin concentration in blood. A fat accumulation inhibitor for a fat cell, which comprises a milk-derived phospholipid as an active ingredient, and a food or drink for inhibiting fat accumulation in a fat cell, which comprises a milk-derived phospholipid. A visceral fat accumulation inhibitor comprising a sphingosine-containing phospholipid or a derivative thereof as an active ingredient, and a food or drink for inhibiting visceral fat accumulation.

Abstract: Disclosed is: a visceral fat accumulation inhibitor or a beverage/food for inhibiting the accumulation of a visceral fat, which comprises a fat globule membrane component as an active ingredient; or a agent or beverage/food for promoting the increase in and/or inhibiting the decrease in the blood adiponectin level, which comprises a fat globule membrane component as an active ingredient. A fat globule membrane component can inhibit the accumulation of a visceral fat, and/or can promote the increase in or inhibit the decrease in the blood adiponectin level.