Introduction to the Marshall Protocol

The Marshall Protocol, sometimes referred to as the MP, was developed by a team led by Trevor Marshall, PhD, as an antimicrobial treatment for chronic inflammatory diseases. Most diseases of unknown cause are chronic inflammatory diseases, and over 85% of patients with these diseases have responded to the treatment. On this site and others, chronic inflammatory diseases are sometimes referred to as the Th1 diseases.

Treatment on the MP requires a number of years to complete, but the exact duration is determined by degree of illness and any unavoidable immune suppressants to which the patient is exposed.

At its essence, the MP involves five key elements, each of which is supported by the latest insights in molecular science. MP patients must:

1 take a minimum 40mg olmesartan (Benicar) every 4-6 hours;
2 avoid inter-personal stress and environmental immune suppression such as radio frequency radiation;   
3 avoid the consumption of vitamin D, as well as certain other immunosuppressive foods;  
4 wean off any immunosuppressive or potentially immunosuppressive therapies;
5 manage exposure to light, depending on blood levels of vitamin D and photosensitivity (if experienced)

Some MP patients also take varying combinations of pulsed, low doses of specific bacteriostatic antibiotics.

The objective of the MP is to safely activate a highly versatile defense, the innate immune response. By strengthening the innate immune response, the MP targets the mix of microbes including bacteria, fungi, and viruses that play a role in chronic disease. As pathogens and infected human cells die, they generate inflammation (sometimes called a “cytokine storm”) and release endotoxins into the body, resulting in a temporary increase in patients' original symptoms. This is known as immunopathology (generally abbreviated to IP).

The MP is to be administered only by a licensed physician competent in use of the Marshall Protocol. The available evidence for the treatment's effectiveness is described here.

Medications used

The document Marshall Protocol is a one-article summary of key issues related to the Marshall Protocol, especially those relevant to physicians. Many of the topics covered here are reviewed in greater depth throughout the Knowledge Base.

Without active participation of patients on MarshallProtocol.com site, Autoimmunity Research Foundation does not support or license the public use of this therapy.

Avoidance of vitamin D

Main article: Vitamin D in food

The vitamin D derived from supplements is converted into 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-D), the form of vitamin D which dysregulates the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), to prevent the innate immune system from functioning properly. Olmesartan (Benicar) can only restore the function of the innate immune system when it does not have to compete with 25-D at the VDR binding sites. A 25-D level of under 12 ng/ml provides the opportunity for olmesartan to work, and allows the immune system to return to proper function.

Patients on the Marshall Protocol (MP) are required to avoid all ingested forms of vitamin D. When the innate immune system returns to proper function, symptoms (immunopathy, or IP) may increase, but without this return to function, there cannot be cure.

A number of foods contain vitamin D, either naturally or because it has been added during processing. It is important to read labels. However, sometimes a label will not state that a food is supplemented with vitamin D.

The only objective way for a MP patient to determine if they have been successful at avoiding ingesting an excess of vitamin D is to periodically retest their serum 25-D to determine if the target of less than 12 ng/ml has been reached and maintained.

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Avoidance of environmental suppression

see Effects of EMF on the body

Immunopathology

Main article: Immunopathology

Immunopathology (often abbreviated to IP) is what patients experience when they fight an infection. In the context of the Marshall Protocol, immunopathology refers to an increase in one's present symptoms of inflammation, or a return of previous inflammatory symptoms. This is caused by cytokines and endotoxins being released from dying bacteria. Occasionally, immunopathology will consist of a new symptom or abnormal lab value due to the occurrence of subclinical inflammation that has been revealed by the Marshall Protocol (MP). Immunopathology is a necessary part of recovery for most patients. The amount of immunopathology a patient experiences on the Marshall Protocol (MP) is correlated with disease severity. Patients who are less sick will have comparatively less strong immunopathology.

Immunopathology is sometimes used synonymously with “herx” or the “Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.”

Note that three forms of immunopathology are particularly life-threatening and should be handled with an abundance of caution: cardiac immunopathology, neurological immunopathology, and respiratory immunopathology.

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Duration of the Marshall Protocol

Main article: Duration of the Marshall Protocol

Related article: Spontaneous remission is a myth

The exact duration of the Marshall Protocol (MP) depends on any number of factors, including degree of illness, amount of fibrosis, ability of the kidneys to process and expel breakdown material, subclinical inflammation, exposure to unavoidable immune suppressants, and personal preference to remain on Olmesartan.

While someone who is very ill might expect the MP to take five or more years, there is no way to know for sure how long the treatment will take. Due to the nature of immunopathology, feelings of well-being and blood markers of disease tend to be variable in the short-term and improve over the long-term. Also owing to the nature of infection, different symptoms will improve at different rates.

So long as one is responding to olmesartan or olmesartan plus antibiotics with symptoms that wax and wane, there are still bacteria to be killed.

Note that there is no requirement for patients to use antibiotics in order to complete the Protocol. In many cases, patients can make considerable progress on olmesartan (Benicar) alone as the drug increases expression of the body's own antimicrobial peptides.

If choosing to use antibiotics there is no need to reach the maximum dosages for all antibiotics or do all antibiotic combinations. However, it is considered a good indication of patients' return to health if they no longer experience immunopathology from any antibiotic combination.

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Cost of the Marshall Protocol

Main article: Cost of the Marshall Protocol

Diseases and conditions treated by the Marshall Protocol

Main article: Diseases

Recovery figures

TOTALS: 864 members;573 report success; 119 report no success; and for 172 results are not clear.

SUCCESS RATES: Over all success rate 66.32% Over all unsuccessful 13.77% Over all unsure 19.91%

Sarcoidosis success 75.8%

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome success 60.1%

Lyme disease success 66.9%

Rheumatoid arthritis success 69.2%

Fibromyalgia success 64.2%

All Other Th1 disease success 59.8%

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Marshall Protocol

Medications used

Avoidance of vitamin D

Avoidance of environmental suppression

Immunopathology

Duration of the Marshall Protocol

Cost of the Marshall Protocol

Diseases and conditions treated by the Marshall Protocol

Recovery figures

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