A reinforced member which is made from a steel product having a strain
aging characteristic and has a closed section at a cross section
perpendicular to an axis of the reinforced member. The reinforced member
includes a reinforced area which is produced by press-forming the steel
product so as to generate a compression strain in the press-formed steel
product due to the application of a compression stress to the steel
product along the direction from a surface of the steel product to an
inside of the steel product, and by giving a strain aging treatment to
the press-formed member.