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• U.S. Military Veteran
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• Age 60 to 80 years
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• Nonsmoker of tobacco products
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• Body Mass Index of 18.5 - 29.9 kg/m2
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Exclusion criteria
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• Unstable angina
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• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (HbA1C > 10)
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• Allergic to lidocaine
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• Problems walking or exercising with both legs
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• Allergic to vaccination
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• Metastatic cancer or undergoing chemotherapy
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• Allergic to latex or tape
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• Hernia that causes pain during physical activity
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• Seizure in past 3 months
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• Tetanus or TDAP vaccine in previous two years
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• Smokes tobacco products
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• Certain steroid or androgen use in past 3 months
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• Other physician judgment
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• Cerebral aneurysm or intracranial bleed in past year
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• Systemic bacterial infection
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• Unwilling to halt new use of nutritional supplements
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• Active oral or genital herpes
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• End-stage congestive heart failure (NYHA Stage IV)
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• Bleeding or clotting disorders
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• Unstable abdominal or thoracic aortic aneurysm (>4 cm)
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• Encephalopathy in past 7 days
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• Myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery in past 3 months
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• Untreated severe aortic stenosis
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• Pains, tightness, pressure in chest during physical activity
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• Renal disease requiring dialysis
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• Significantly abnormal blood tests (CBC or PT/PTT/INR)
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• Uncontrolled asthma or allergies
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• Bone fractures in the pelvis, legs, or feet in the last 3 months
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• Significant problem with fainting
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• Taking prescription anti-coagulants (that is, heparin, warfarin, etcetera)
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• Current use of appetite stimulants
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• Current treatment for mania or bipolar disorder or taking lithium
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• History of peripheral artery disease
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• Pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis in past 3 months
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• Active suicidality or suicidal ideation
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• Taking lactulose, nitrates plus hypertension medications or Viagra
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• Significant problems with chronic pain
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• Uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension (>160/100, <100 systolic)
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• Unwilling to maintain current normal diet
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• Acute retinal hemorrhage or ophthalmologic surgery in past 3 months
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• Diagnosis of a significant cognitive deficit
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• Unwilling to halt concurrent use of amino acid or protein supplements
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• Guillain-Barre Syndrome in past 3 months
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• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy or severe nonproliferative retinopathy
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• Uncontrolled malignant cardiac arrhythmia
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• Participated in a weight-lifting program targeting the thighs in last 3 months
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• Liver cirrhosis or other severe liver disease
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• Currently participating in any other research study involving an intervention
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• Taking aspirin in any form and unable/unwilling to discontinue for 10 days prior to muscle biopsy
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• Taking any non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and unable or unwilling to discontinue use for 3 days prior to the muscle biopsy procedure
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• Taking Fish Oil, Gingko, Garlic, Saw Palmetto, Turmeric, or Vitamin E and unable or unwilling to discontinue use for 10 days prior to the muscle biopsy procedure
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