Lifelong treatment is not a cure.
The Coimbra Protocol uses vitamin D doses 10-75 times higher than established safety limits. Despite treating 30,000 patients since 2012, no published studies examine what happens when patients discontinue treatment.
Treatment must continue forever.
Dr. Coimbra and certified practitioners explicitly state that patients "will need to continue taking a high dose of vitamin D and other cofactors throughout their lives to stay in remission." Complete cessation leads to symptom return.
The VITAL Extension Study (2024)
Research with 21,592 participants confirms that vitamin D's protective effects against autoimmune diseases disappear within two years of stopping supplementation, requiring "continuous basis for long-term prevention."
A true cure would restore normal immune function permanently, not require indefinite pharmaceutical-level interventions. This pattern indicates symptom management through continuous suppression.
Clinical trials fail to support efficacy claims.
SOLAR Trial
Failed primary endpoint229 patients, 14,007 IU daily - failed to achieve "No Evidence of Disease Activity."
VIDAMS Trial
No significant difference172 patients, 10,400 IU daily for 96 weeks - no significant difference in relapse rates or disability progression.
2024 Meta-Analysis
"No clinical benefit"Eight RCTs with ~1,000 MS patients concluded that vitamin D3 supplementation shows no clinical benefit over 24-month timeframes.
No RCTs exist validating the protocol's extreme doses of 35,000-200,000 IU daily. The evidence consists primarily of anecdotal reports and testimonials rather than rigorous scientific validation.
Suppression, not restoration.
At supraphysiological doses averaging 35,291 IU daily, vitamin D shifts the immune system from pro-inflammatory Th1/Th17 responses toward anti-inflammatory Th2 and regulatory T cell dominance.
Genetic Variations Are Permanent
75% of studied patients show permanent genetic variations in vitamin D metabolism genes. Any "resistance" cannot be cured but only compensated for indefinitely.
Parallel to Conventional Immunosuppressants
These mechanisms parallel conventional immunosuppressants - continuously dampening immune responses rather than correcting underlying dysfunction.
Effects Revert Upon Discontinuation
Enhanced regulatory T cell function and suppressed Th17 responses revert upon discontinuation, confirming the effect is suppressive rather than restorative.
Major medical organizations reject these doses.
NIH upper safe limit daily
Coimbra Protocol doses
Protocol Requirements
- Permanent dietary calcium restriction below 500mg daily
- Minimum 2.5 liters daily fluid intake
- Regular monitoring of calcium, PTH, and kidney function
Documented Toxicity
Swiss case report documented a patient developing hypercalcemia and renal insufficiency after seven months on 100,000 IU daily. 27 patients in the German safety study required temporary cessation due to elevated calcium excretion.
Root causes remain unaddressed.
The protocol fails to address fundamental autoimmune triggers including environmental toxins, chronic stress, infectious agents, intestinal dysbiosis, or inflammatory dietary factors. Instead, it creates a new form of metabolic dependency.
The trade: The protocol essentially trades one chronic condition for another - replacing active autoimmune disease with vitamin D dependency requiring permanent medical supervision.
Dependency marketed as cure lacks scientific support.
Despite claims of treating 30,000 patients, the protocol lacks the fundamental hallmarks of a genuine cure: the ability to discontinue treatment while maintaining benefits, RCTs demonstrating efficacy, and evidence of addressing root disease causes.