Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Obese men and women ≥ 20 and ≤ 45 years of age. Exclusion Criteria: * Diabetes or fasting plasma glucose \>126 mg/dL * Anemia (female subjects hemoglobin of \<11 g/dl and male subjects hemoglobin \<12 g/dl) * Active coronary artery disease or history of unstable macrovascular disease (unstable angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization of coronary, peripheral or carotid artery within 3 months of recruitment) * Renal failure (serum creatinine \> 1.5mg/dl) * Chronic active liver disease defined as aspartate aminotransferase (AST)\>144 IU/L or alanine transaminase (ALT) \>165 IU/L) * Oral warfarin group medications or history of blood clotting disorders. * Smoking * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Alcohol consumption greater than 2 glasses/day or other substance abuse * Untreated or uncontrolled hypothyroidism * Debilitating chronic disease (at the discretion of the investigators)