International Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 6(2): 77-79, 2014 ISSN: 2041-2894; e-ISSN: 2041-2908 © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2014 Submitted: January 10, 2014 Accepted: January 25, 2014 Published: April 20, 2014 Corresponding Author: Mehrdad Modaresi, Department of Animal Sciences, Khorasgan (Isfahan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran 77 Effect of Organic and Mineral Zinc Supplement in Diet on Reproductive Hormones in Mice Azadeh Sedigh, Mehrdad Modaresi and Akbar Pirestani Department of Animal Sciences, Khorasgan (Isfahan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the effects of various doses of organic and mineral zinc or LH, FSH and testosterone hormones of male mice (Balb/c race). Seventy male mice were divided in seven groups randomly. Samples were fed a normal diet for 35 days. Zinc supplement was added into drink water in 50, 100 and 150 ppm doses in both mineral and organic forms as six treatment groups and one control group. After 35 days blood samples were taken. According to results, LH amount was increased in all groups except 50 ppm mineral but FSH was reduced in 50 ppm mineral and increased in 100 ppm mineral and testosterone was increased in 50 and 150 ppm organic and reduced in 100 ppm mineral. Considering the results, adding organic or mineral zinc into ration can affect male reproduction process dose dependently via affecting reproductive hormones. Keywords: Diet, mice, organic and mineral zinc, reproductive hormones INTRODUCTION Appropriate reproduction is necessary for a profitable livestock industry. Animals should be fed well to become pregnant after inoculation in definite times, be healthy and produce sufficient milk. Therefore, parameters like nutrition, genetics, hormones, disease and etc., must be considered. Nutritional factors which have negative effects on reproduction are minerals, vitamins and proteins deficit and imbalance of dietary energy and so on. Among these, zinc element plays an important role in quality and quantity of semen, genetic disorders and malnutrition. After iron, zinc is the second trace elements in body which contributes in metabolic actions and enzyme structures. Inadequate or high amounts of this element can endanger the health. Zinc has many beneficial properties such as anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-radiation and anti-cancer properties. It is also vital for general growth of all tissues and balances immune system. This element is found mostly in liver cells, kidney, pancreas, prostate, bones, digestion system, teeth, eye, skin, hair and nails so that deficit of it will affect each of these organs. Using zinc as drug or food can cure many diseases, such as foot ulcers, bladder infections, infertility and various burns. In spite of many conducted researches, the mechanism of zinc action is not obvious yet. Zinc affects sperm maturity and reproductive epithelium of male sexual glands directly. It also affects growth and anatomical development of male sexual organs and its deficiency causes a delay in testicular development and spermatogenesis. Production of hormones like LH and FSH in animals is affected by zinc deficiency (Dillin et al., 2002). Zinc deficiency in male goats shrinks testicles and decrease their libido (Martin et al., 1997). Losing appetite due to zinc deficiency reduced secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone from hypothalamus, caused incomplete testicular growth, stopped spermatogenesis and led to reproductive disorders in lambs. Furthermore, it reduced testosterone amount by local impact on testis and then disorders in growth, development and action of somniferous tubules (Kumar et al., 2006). In a study, zinc supplementation as zinc oxide from 50 to 200 ppm didn’t affect ejaculation amount of male rabbits but volume of cell mass of was increased in ejaculations of 50, 100 and 150 ppm treatments which showed increase in producing sperm cells in treated animals. This element contributes in structure of important enzymes like Carbonic anhydrase, alcohol dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase and DNA polymerase (Dillin et al., 2002). Considering mentioned studies and researches, experiments on effects of zinc on male reproductive system seems necessary. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the effects of organic and mineral zinc on reproductive physiology of male mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted in research laboratory of Islamic Azad University (Isfahan Branch). Seventy