A method of treating red blood cells of a human patient has the steps of activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves and subjecting a vascular system containing red blood cells and surrounding muscle tissue peripherally through an extremity of a patient to the acoustic shock waves by stimulating the extremity wherein the extremity is positioned within a path of the emitted shock waves and away from a geometric focal volume or point of the emitted shock waves. The methods also treat muscle tissue of aging patients, from muscle regeneration or athletes for legal performance enhancement without drugs.
