ORIGINAL ARTICLE Influence of creatine supplementation on bone quality in the ovariectomized rat model: an FT-Raman spectroscopy study Renato Aparecido de Souza & Murilo Xavier & Fabiano Fernandes da Silva & Marco Túlio de Souza & Maira Gaspar Tosato & Airton Abrahão Martin & Julio Cezar de Melo Castilho & Wellington Ribeiro & Landulfo Silveira Jr. Received: 28 April 2011 /Accepted: 15 July 2011 # Springer-Verlag London Ltd 2011 Abstract The influence of creatine (Cr) supplementation on cortical and trabecular bone from ovariectomized rats was studied using FT-Raman spectroscopy. The intensity of organic-phase Raman bands was compared to mineral phase ones. Twenty-one female Wistar rats aged 3 months were divided into three groups (n =7 per group): ovariec- tomized (OVX), ovariectomized treated with creatine (CRE) and sham-operated (SHAM) groups. Creatine supplementation (300 mg kg -1 day -1 ) was provided for 8 weeks, starting 12 weeks after ovariectomy. FT-Raman spectroscopy was performed on the right medial femoral mid-shaft (cortical bone) and third lumbar vertebral body (trabecular bone). The integrated intensities of mineral phase (phosphate and carbonate bands at 959 and 1,071 cm -1 , respectively) and organic phase (amide I band at 1,665 cm -1 ) Raman bands were analyzed. The mineral- to-matrix (phosphate/amide I), carbonate-to-phosphate, and carbonate-to-amide I ratios were analyzed to assess bone quality. The phosphate content on trabecular bone was higher in the CRE group than the OVX group (p <0.05). No significant changes in mineral or organic phases on cortical bone were observed. A radiographic assessment of bone density was encouraging as the same findings were showed by Raman intensity of phosphate from cortical (r 2 =0.8037) and trabecular bones (r 2 =0.915). Severe ovariectomy- induced bone loss was confirmed by FT-Raman spectros- copy. The results suggest that the chemical composition of trabecular bone tissue may be positively influenced by Cr supplementation after ovariectomy. Keywords Cortical bone . Nutritional supplement . Optical spectroscopy . Osteoporosis . Trabecular bone Introduction Creatine (Cr) is a naturally occurring amino acid-like compound obtained by the synthesis of the essential amino R. A. de Souza (*) : F. F. da Silva Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas Gerais, Muzambinho, MG, Brazil e-mail: tatosouza2004@yahoo.com.br M. Xavier Department of Physical Therapy, Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri Federal University, Diamantina, MG, Brazil M. Xavier : L. Silveira Jr. Biomedical Engineering Center, Universidade Camilo Castelo Branco, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil M. T. de Souza Faculty of Medicine, Vale do Sapucaí University, Pouso Alegre, MG, Brazil M. G. Tosato : A. A. Martin Laboratory of Biomedical Vibrational Spectroscopy, Institute of Research and Development, Vale do Paraíba University, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil J. C. de Melo Castilho Departamento de Radiologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil W. Ribeiro Laboratory of Physiology and Pharmacodynamics, Institute of Research and Development, Vale do Paraiba University, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil Lasers Med Sci DOI 10.1007/s10103-011-0976-0