They gave older women 160 grams of protein per day (how’s that for a macro?), six days per week, and compared versus women with pasta/rice (control resistance training (CRT)). Both groups lifted weights (PRT, physical resistance training). RT= lean red meats. LTM= lean tissue mass.
The results:
Results : The mean (± SD) protein intake was greater in the RT+Meat group than in the CRT group throughout the study (1.3 ± 0.3 compared with 1.1 ± 0.3 g · kg−1 · d−1, respectively; P < 0.05). The RT+Meat group experienced greater gains in total body LTM (0.45 kg; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.84 kg), leg LTM (0.22 kg; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.42 kg), and muscle strength (18%; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.34) than did the CRT group (all P < 0.05). The RT+Meat group also experienced a 10% greater increase in serum insulin-like growth factor I ( P < 0.05) and a 16% greater reduction in the proinflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6) ( P < 0.05) after 4 mo. There were no between-group differences for the change in blood lipids or blood pressure.
Basically, the muscle mass increase was greater for those on the higher protein diet (based on that EVIL red meat, by the way), and other than this, no evidence of damage for at least the markers they took.