本研究以缺鋅飼料誘導試驗動物缺鋅，以期造成大鼠生育能力發展不全，再利用紅麴抗氧化的機能回復大鼠的生育能力，以證實其可作為預防氧化壓力所造成生育能力損傷的營養防護劑。研究以缺鋅飼料誘導大鼠16週，試驗期間記錄其體重、攝食量。16週後進行交配，觀察子代數目及其形態差異，動物犧牲後觀測精子濃度及畸形率。發現在誘導過程中，對大鼠的發育、肝腎臟機能以及組織細胞的生長均造成危害，並影響精子活性、形態以及睪固酮之生合成。在缺鋅誘導16週後再連續四週餵食一倍 (151 mg/kg bw/day；口服) 及五倍劑量 (755 mg/kg bw/day；口服) 的紅麴米。由肝功能指數發現紅麴米可以緩解缺鋅所造成的氧化壓力損傷，並提升精子游動能力、形態正常之機率 (缺陷率自48%降為23%)，以及血清與睪丸中睪固酮濃度 (自0.8 ng/mL
提升至2.3-3.8 ng/mL)。由於加入了母鼠方面的變因，並無法從每胎產仔數量看出交配結果有任何統計上的相關性。綜合試驗結果得知，紅麴米不但可以預防缺鋅所造成之精子傷害也可以改善雄性荷爾蒙生成能力，實為具開發潛力之保健食品。

The present study investigated the effect of red mold rice (RMR) on zinc deficiency during sexual maturation on sperm integrity and testis damage. We tried to prove the capability of red mold rice as a protectant to prevent oxidative stress due to zinc defciency. In this study, rats were induced to be Zn-defcient by feeding a Zn-defcient diet for 16 weeks. Damage to growth development and biological function of liver and kidney were observed in this process. Furthermore, it can also affect sperm activities, sperm morphology, and synthesis of testosterone. After Zn-defciency induction, rats were fed with 1X RMR (151 mg/kg bw/day; oral) and 5X RMR (755 mg/kg bw/day; oral) for four weeks. We found out that RMR effectively inhibited the zinc defciency damage caused by oxidative stress, enhanced sperm motility and normal sperm morphology (decreased abnormalities rate from 48% to 23%), and increasd the concentration of testosterone in serum and testis (increased from 0.8 ng/mL to 3.8 ng/mL). However, no statistical relationship can be detected from each litter size because of the variables given by the mother rat. These data suggest that RMR is a potential health food for people with zinc defciency to prevent sperm injury and recover ability to synthesize sexual hormone.