32 Responses for "An Overview of the Marshall Protocol"

1. Shandy monte May 8th, 2008 at 9:30 am 1

   Amy, I really liked the video presentation! I truly hope I can start the MP again soon, and HOPEFULLY have as much success as you and the others. Some days I just dont know if I can deal with ONE more day of feeling this way ya know. I am so happy for your success!

2. Amy Proal May 8th, 2008 at 9:51 am 2

   Hi Shandy,

   Good to hear from you. I also hope that you can start the MP again. But don’t forget that at the start, you are going to have to feel worse before you get better. There’s no way around it because your body will be killing so much bacteria. But eventually die-off slows and things get easier.

   You can see in the video how immunopathology is induced and exactly how the antibiotics work. There is no doubt that once on the MP, the rise in symptoms you will experience are a result of bacterial die-off and you must keep reminding yourself of that fact.

   Best,

   Amy

3. chris May 8th, 2008 at 9:13 pm 3

   good good good…
   keep it going amy!

4. Per Sjöholm May 12th, 2008 at 3:27 am 4

   Good work
   /Per

5. Diana Pasley May 13th, 2008 at 3:06 am 5

   Oh MY GOD!! Amy…..I think this was brilliant. I am so psyched by what you have written here….to me it was rivetting. I’m making my husband watch it tomorrow to get his opinion. Then, I intend to send it to several family members (including my MD brother) who have been adamantly opposed to this treatment. Maybe I’m weird but I couldn’t turn it off. It was like watching a NOVA presentation.

   And I know what many people don’t realize is that you are still suffering from your chronic illness. You embarass me into action.

   Great job. Would you consider making DVDs. My computer wasn’t always cooperative during the showing….and I would love to give DVDs out to my friends. I would be happy to pay whatever it took for the ease of it

   Congratulations….and more importantly, thank you.

6. Amy Proal May 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm 6

   Hi Diana,

   No, thank you for making such kinds remarks about the video. If it helps family members or friends better understand the MP then I am thrilled!

   I am going to make DVDs of the video. Paul and I will probably start work on them next week. Then, we will put up a link that explains how to order the DVDs. We don’t plan to charge anything for the DVDs except for the cost of shipping.

   So next week keep an eye out for a link for DVD orders.

   Again, I’m so glad you liked the video!

   Best,

   Amy

7. Per Sjöholm May 13th, 2008 at 3:46 pm 7

   Can you consider sharing the DVD by BitTorrent ?
   I can help with seeding and maybe some other things.

   Best Per

8. Lynn Porteus May 14th, 2008 at 3:21 am 8

   Hi Amy,

   Thank you so much for this site. The video was so well done and will help many to a greater understanding of what is involved in our recovery. I hope someday to reach the level of wellness that you have on M.P.

   take care. Lynn

9. Amy Proal May 14th, 2008 at 2:14 pm 9

   Thank you Lynn!

   I also hope that you can recover as quickly as possible thanks to the MP.

   All the best,

   Amy

10. donna May 14th, 2008 at 6:01 pm 10

    keep up the good work !!!!

11. Ryan w. May 15th, 2008 at 11:59 pm 11

    Hi Amy,

    I’m curious how these bacteria aren’t killed by pasturizaiton or chlorination. The only CWD bacteria I’m familiar with are the mycobacterium which seem pretty obligate parasites that don’t survive well outside the body. Why would bacteria have cell walls if the walls don’t seem to help them survive?

12. Amy Proal May 17th, 2008 at 12:17 pm 12

    Hi Ryan,

    I’m not an expert on chlorination or pasteurization so I don’t know exactly how L-form bacteria bypass the procedures. All I know is that many of the hundreds of researchers to spend their careers studying L-forms clearly state in their papers and textbooks that the pathogens cannot be killed by such procedures. I believe part of the reason is that they are extremely small.

    Also, the chlorination and pasteurization processes were clearly designed with only acute bacterial forms in mind. I’m sure that when the procedures were created, milk and water to go through the purification process were tested only for for acute bacterial forms. Since completely different methods are required to culture and observe L-form bacteria, most scientists were, and are, completely unaware of the fact that L-forms remain in treated milk and water. Thus, additional methods or steps that would eliminate L-forms from milk and water were never added to the purifications processes.

    I believe that cell walls can offer acute bacterial forms some advantages. It’s important to keep in mind that acute bacterial forms and chronic bacterial forms have very different “goals” as pathogens. It is in the best interest for acute forms to multiply rapidly so that they can cause the host to suffer from a quick, strong infection. I believe that cell walls help bacteria replicate more quickly, so having a cell wall as an acute form would be advantageous

    But chronic forms do not care about quickly multiplying. Their goal is to keep the host alive so that they can use its nutrients while spreading very gradually and living in a manner that cannot be quelled by the immune system response. So it is in their best interest to lose their cell walls and to transform to smaller forms that can more easily hide inside macrophages and biofilms.

    Hope this helps.

    Amy

13. Rick Bartley May 18th, 2008 at 3:20 pm 13

    Amy, This is a wonderful presentation. Even after several years as an MPer, this video has clarified and solidified the science behind the healing for me. I’m grateful to have it as a resource to point the people to, to futher their search for answers to relief and healing from their illnesses. It’s so difficult for many people to break the cycle of following popular palative treatments and to finally take charge of their healing; which may mean finding a physician who is willing to think about Th1 diseases in a way they never have before. Chronic Th1 disease sufferers need all the encouragement they can find, and this site certainly offers that. May I simply say, thank you Amy. Job well done.

14. Amy Proal May 18th, 2008 at 3:32 pm 14

    Thank you so much Rick!

    You are absolutely right. People with chronic disease need to take charge of their health. I’m so glad you feel this website serves as a resource where they can start to understand many of the new paradigms that will be changing the world of chronic disease.

    That, and if this site prevents just one person from reaching the level of agony I did when my CFS was at its worst, then my time has been worthwhile.

    Best,

    Amy

15. François Wirion May 20th, 2008 at 10:34 pm 15

    Dear Amy,
    thanks for this fantastic video! I’m a fellow CFS sufferer and have been on the MP for about a year. I’m now slowly getting back my ability to think, so in recent times I’ve been (re)reading up on the MP science, and your presentation (especially in the first half) really helped me make more sense out of the theory.

    I also have two questions:
    1. The 25-D3 reference range is 20 to 56 ng/ml. Why isn’t this level immunosuppressive in healthy individuals? Is this because the VDR in a healthy person does not face additional antagonistic binding from bacterial ligands such as capnine?
    2. On one of the ARB slides you say that ARBs protect mitochondria against age-associated damage from oxidation. That’s really interesting. I googled this but couldn’t find any good stuff. Could you please point me to some research article that shows this?

    Thanks again, and keep up the excellent work!
    François

16. Amy Proal May 21st, 2008 at 11:29 am 16

    Hi Francois,

    Glad you enjoyed the video!

    As for your questions. Healthy people do suffer from the immunosuppression generated by 25-D! That’s why the addition of extra vitamin D to the food chain has resulted in such a medical disaster.

    Here’s an excerpt from my article “The Truth About Vitamin D: 14 reasons why misunderstanding endures”

    http://bacteriality.com/2007/09/15/vitamind/#4

    “Since the vast majority of the public still consume large amounts of fortified products, it is difficult to find people who have a truly natural level of vitamin D in their bodies. Consequently, over the past few years, the “healthy” range for 25-D obtained from blood work has been adjusted upward to reflect the fact that people consume fortified dairy products. The FDA now suggests that people maintain a level of 25-D between 20-56 ng/ml, which is in the range at which it becomes immunosuppressive. This means that the levels of 25-D in people eating a diet without fortified foods is inevitably considered to be too low, out of range, and ultimately a menace to their health.

    With all the extra vitamin D we have added to the food chain, we no longer know what amount of 25-D the body would maintain under natural circumstances. Could it be that the people we call “Vitamin D deficient” actually have a normal level of 25-D? Studies which have tested the level of 25-D in people who live in countries where vitamin D is not added to the food chain prove this scenario to be true. A study which tested the level of 25-D in 90 “healthy, ambulatory Chilean women” showed that 27% of the premenopausal and 60% of the postmenopausal women had 25-D levels under 20 ng/ml. A study on healthy Bangladeshi women found that approximately 80% of the women had a level of 25-D under 16 ng/ml.”

    So essentially the majority of the American public is immunosuppressed at the moment. That’s why we see a lot of healthy people turning into unhealthy people. It’s only a matter of time before most people pick up the Th1 pathogens, which is why we are currently living in an epidemic of chronic disease.

    As for the paper about ARBs and mitochrondrial damage. Here’s the link. The paper focuses on the ARB losartan, which is very similar to olmesartan.

    http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/reprint/02-0063fjev1

    In the paper the researchers conclude that “losartan can protect against both age-related mitochondrial dysfunction and ultrastructural alterations, underscoring the role of RAS in the aging process.”

    Hope this helps!

    Amy

17. Jamie Gilling - Male - 31yrs May 21st, 2008 at 1:41 pm 17

    Hi I have just watched the Marshall Potacol and would like to start this treatment as the treatment I am presently on and have been on for quite some while is having no afect. My Doctor (Rhematolagist) has prescribed me with Methatroxate, Hydroxchloroquine & Frolic acid and is keen to put me on an Infliximab infussion course as it is thoug that this treatment for Artiritus may help the Sarcoidosis I have in my fingers. Afe watching thie presentaiion everything fell in place as I ave been saying for years that when I eat certain food such as milk, bread, cheese & edd my condition becomes more painful but no one i have spoken to seems to under stand why and looks at me puzzled. I would like to find out more info on starting the Marshal Proacol treatment as i am presently off of work due to my condition - painful fingers (enlarged), toes and lumps) . Is there a waiting list i need to join or an appointment i need to make in order to find out more or be assessed to whether i can have be put on the Marshal Protocol treatment??
    I would also like some DVd’s of your presentation so I can show family, friends & doctors

    Thanks, Jamie

18. Amy Proal May 22nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm 18

    Hi Jamie,

    I’m so glad you watched the video and now have a better understanding of the Marshall Protocol and how the treatment can definitely help you recover.

    There is a currently a waiting list to become part of the study, but if you sign up now, it may not take too long before you are admitted. The way to get on the waiting list is to write a post stating that you would like to start the Marshall Protocol at the following website.

    http://www.curemyth1.org (Th1 refers to diseases caused by bacteria, hence the name Cure My Th1) Ask the patient advocates on the site to give you an MP application form. There is no charge for their services or for any other aspect of the MP.

    The application form they will ask you to fill out will ask if you have a doctor who is willing to put you on the Marshall Protocol. Having a doctor who has already agreed to put you on the treatment should help you be admitted into the study as soon as possible. So, in addition to posting on http://www.curemyth1.org, you should also try to find a doctor who is willing to put you on the MP.

    I recommend that you go to the study site (www.marshallprotocol.com) and click the “members” button on the upper right hand part of the screen. There, you can search for members by location. Look for other members who live near you and send them a private message over the site asking who their doctor is and if you can have his/her contact information.

    You may want to convince your current doctor to put you on the MP. Here is a link to book of information about the MP to present to a doctor.

    http://www.marshallprotocol.com/forum2/11458.html

    If none of these options work, the moderators and http://www.curemyth1.org give you further advice on how to find a doctor.

    Best,

    Amy

    PS. You can order the DVDs with Dr. Marshall’s presentations by going to the study site (www.marshallprotocol.com) and clicking on the icon on the upper left hand part of the screen. The icon, which is in the shape of a box, advertises the DVDs.

19. Anne May 27th, 2008 at 1:41 pm 19

    You have written the book I’ve been waiting for Amy. Thank you, thank you.

    Just one point: a question not covered (unless I’ve missed it) and which naturally occurs to many is: “Wouldn’t the treatment kill ‘friendly’ bacteria?” Was the omission intentional?

    All the very best,
    Anne

    Anne

20. Amy Proal May 28th, 2008 at 9:20 am 20

    Hi Anne,

    I’m so glad that the video helped you better understand the MP.

    About “friendly” bacteria. No, the issue was not deliberately omitted at all. The fact is, we don’t find extra gastrointestial problems among people recovering on the MP. Actually, quite the contrary is true. Overall health in places such as the gut or mouth, where some scientists believe friendly bacteria exist, becomes much better over the course of treatment (as a general rule).

    So we are seeing no effect from killing what some scientists see as “friendly” bacteria. That, along with models derived from his research, has led Dr. Marshall to believe that “friendly” bacteria don’t really exist. In his view, some species may not be necessarily harmful, but most are actually just putting an extra load on the innate immune system, which must always put out energy to manage their presence.

    It’s also quite easy for bacteria that may not be necessarily be harmful to become pathogenic thanks to the concept of horizontal gene transfer. As soon as a person starts to accumulate the Th1 pathogens in the gut, they can easily swap DNA with other bacteria in the gut, making them pathogenic species as well, which is probably what happens in most people who suffer from any serious Th1 disease. At that point, essentially all the bacteria in the gut are definitely not helping the host.

    So Dr. Marshall is not concerned about friendly bacteria, and his lack of concern seems to be justified, as we really can’t find a person yet whose gut problems seem to be exacerbated by antibiotic use.

    You may be wondering, “but what about probiotics?” This thread on the MP site discusses probiotics. The theory put forth by Dr. Marshall may be a little difficult to understand, and is of course controversial. Yet it offers an alternate hypothesis for how probiotics work, and up to now, Dr. Marshall’s other alternate hypotheses have been correct. So I believe it’s at least worth considering. I may write an article about his views on probiotics at some point.

    http://www.marshallprotocol.com/forum39/11110.html

    Best,

    Amy

21. Anne May 28th, 2008 at 1:18 pm 21

    Thank you Amy for your response to my query re friendly bacteria. I shall look forward to your article on probiotics.

    Can anyone tell me if there’s a way of increasing the print size of the printable version of the video? It’s very small. Trying to download the pdf crashes my Mac (OS 10.3.9 – Safari 1.3.2.)

    Thanks,
    Anne

22. Leslie June 11th, 2008 at 6:53 am 22

    If L-form bacteria are found basically everywhere, and will reinfect us time and again, won’t we need to take antibiotics for the rest of our lives?

23. Amy Proal June 11th, 2008 at 9:38 am 23

    Hi Leslie,

    I understand where you are coming from, but re-infection after the MP might not be an real issue.

    First off, the MP is not just a treatment that kills chronic bacteria, it is a treatment that strengthens the innate immune system. As you reach the later years of the MP, you will have essentially no blockage of the Vitamin D Receptor because you have not been taking vitamin D for a long time and because you will have very few, if any, bacterial proteins blocking the receptor.

    At that point your innate immune system will be in great shape. So when you stop the treatment, you will be in an excellent place to fend off new L-form and biofilm bacteria. After all, the reason those people who get chronically ill are able to accumulate the Th1 pathogens so easily is because they become increasingly immunocompromised. Those people with very active innate immune systems actually do a very good job killing new invading pathogens.

    But of course, after you stop the MP you will accumulate some more L-form and biofilms bacteria. That’s why it is recommended that people do “touch ups” of the MP every 2-5 years or really at any time intervals they find fit with their schedule. A “touch up” just refers to starting the MP meds again and seeing if you experience immunopathology. If you do, it means you have picked up new bacteria and you can stay on the meds until the reactions subsides. The time period for “touch ups” should be much, much shorter than that of the MP.

    All of the above also hinges on the fact that someone who stops the MP would only consume moderate amounts of vitamin D (that obtained from non-fortified foods) in order to keep VDR blockage to a minimum.

    So if you follow those guidelines you can maintain your health quite well. The issue of “touch up” and stopping the MP is covered in greater depth in this article:

    http://bacteriality.com/2008/02/23/misconceptions/#13

    Best,

    Amy

24. Claire July 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm 24

    Amy, Thank you for a great overview. Watching it helped me understand that I have a general understanding of the science behind the MP and helped clarify some areas that have remained fuzzy. Since my brain is stlill fuzzy, it may take a while for those areas to take. Regardless, you’ve created a great resource. Thanks again for all the work you do to education people about TH1 illness and the Marshall Protocol.

25. Diane B August 6th, 2008 at 9:29 pm 25

    Thank you so very much for the film and this website. Mediastinal Adenopathy was found on an MRI for breast screening, I underwent a CT and then a very painful mediastinaloscopy and have a diagnosis of Stage I sarcoidosis. I am very concerned, as I have been a healthy 56 year old with few problems–some allergies, mild asthma only. I have worked for years with integrated medicine Dr. to get my lipids down with naicin and other supplements. Now I have this potentially disability disease and I am very concerned. I have devoured all I can find on the Marshall Protocol and my Integrated Medicine Dr. has helped two people with the MP and is ready to help me start as well. I have sent an application request, as you suggested, but have not heard back. Is there anything else I could do to be considered for inclusion? The potential to change the way we see disease is very exciting and I look forward to reject the call for “watchful waiting” and instead do what I can to increase my chances of not having this disease hijack my life. Interestingly, my husband also have sarcoidosis, which was diagnosed 25 years ago. He has extensive scarring on his lungs. Again, thank you!

26. Amy Proal August 8th, 2008 at 1:10 pm 26

    Hi Diane,

    I’m so glad you are planning to start the MP! It’s true that sarcoidosis is a serious disease but you can definitely recover thanks to the MP. The fact that you are starting the treatment close to your date of diagnosis and did not take corticosteroid medications may mean that your bacterial load has not spread too far and that you may progress through the treatment at a faster pace than some.

    I’m sorry you haven’t heard back yet from the MP moderators about your inclusion into the study. It may take them a while to get back to you, but I wouldn’t wait to start the MP until they do write you back. The MP study is officially close, so even if you are put on a waiting list you will probably not be admitted right away.

    Although the guidance from the nurse moderators who help patients officially in the study is helpful, if you are fairly well versed when it comes to the MP guidelines/food restrictions etc you should be fine starting the MP medications only under the guidance of only your doctor.

    Give yourself a week or two to adjust to Benicar. Make sure you have adequate eye and light protection and try to get a read on how light sensitive you become so that you can avoid light to the extent necessary.

    Then start minocycline as per the phase 1 guidelines (which are available on the study site) and if you ramp the antibiotic carefully I don’t think you should have any problems.

    When you want to move on to phase II, your doctor can request the phase II/III guidelines as long as he is a member of the “Private Section for Medical Professionals” on the study site. Make sure he signs up to be a member of that forum ASAP as if you do have any problems, even in phase 1, he can ask the moderators for advice on your situation by posting there.

    Also make sure your doctor does not modify the MP guidelines in any way. It’s particularly important that you don’t take any other supplements while on the MP as they can very well interfere with vitamin D metabolism.

    So I recommend starting the MP with your doctor alone. Keep a journal of your symptoms if you think that will help you keep track of your progress. Then eventually I’m sure you will be admitted to the study officially and you can continue the treatment under those conditions.

    Good luck!

    Amy

27. Karina August 18th, 2008 at 5:36 pm 27

    I have a child with autism who has a tremendous viral load due to childhood vaccinations. There’s concern that these children may be so immuno compromised due to the viruses having morphed into what some are calling “stealth viruses”. Is this in any way related to L-form bacteria?
    Also, there’s been research indicating that certain digestive enzymes help the body break down proteins and eliminate cellular debris (i.e. viruses & bacteria). What role, if any, do digestive enzymes (peptides) play any role in the MP scenario?

28. Amy Proal August 21st, 2008 at 10:13 am 28

    Hi Karina,

    Yes, the Marshall Pathogenesis (or the science that guides the Marshall Protocol) does dictate that if your child is suffering from several viral infections then he/she also harbors the L-form, biofilm, or other stealth bacterial forms that cause inflammatory disease. In fact, there are several autistic children on the MP who are killing these bacteria and doing well.

    A healthy immune system is generally able to keep viral infections under control. So if your child has several viral infections, then something is weakening his/her immune system so that it cannot function correctly. According to the MP model of disease the agents dyregulating immune function are not the viruses themselves, but L-form and biofilm bacteria. Dr. Marshall has shown these bacteria are capable of creating substances that dysregulate the Vitamin D Receptor - a fundamental receptor of the body that controls the activity of the innate immune system.

    When the Vitamin D Receptor becomes dysregulated by bacterial substances, it can no longer correctly turn on the innate immune response and the patient is able to easily pick up all kinds of other infectious agents….like viruses. So as we see it, your child will never be able to get his/her viral infections under control until he has killed the L-form/biofilm bacteria that slow immune function. If his/her bacterial load is been reduced, the immune system should have the strength to naturally combat the viruses- a pattern we see with nearly all our study subjects.

    You child can wear down his/her bacterial load with the Marshall Protocol - if you have questions about the treatment the best place to post them is at the the following website:

    http://www.curemyth1.org (Th1 refers to diseases caused by bacteria). They will be answered free of charge by patient advocates.

    Also, MP patients do not take digestive enzymes and I don’t know enough about digestive enzymes to comment on whether or not they would help clear bacterial debri. MP patients try to avoid all supplements as many have effects of on immune function that are not readily apparent.

    Best,

    Amy

29. Chris September 5th, 2008 at 9:40 pm 29

    Amy,

    Is there any way I could get the video onto a DVD? My wife and a couple of friends with autoimmune disease would like to watch it, and a DVD just sounds a bit better than huddling around the computer.

    I’m pretty tech savvy, but as far as I can tell there’s no way to download the Vimeo video. This is purely for personal use.

    Thanks,
    Chris

30. Amy Proal September 6th, 2008 at 5:45 pm 30

    Hi Chris,

    It is possible to order a video of the presentation that you can watch on TV.

    Send an email to our volunteer Gene Johnson requesting a DVD. There is a charge of $4 for each DVD to cover the charge of shipping. You can send the money via check or through PayPal.

    Gene’s address is:

    Gene Johnson
    446 Trinity Dr.
    Allen, TX 75002

    Phone: 469 675 1316

    Best,

    Amy

31. Chris September 6th, 2008 at 7:24 pm 31

    Thanks, Amy. Where do I find Gene’s email address?

32. Amy Proal September 6th, 2008 at 9:58 pm 32

    Yes. It’s edj2001@tx.rr.com.

    Best,

    Amy