Neocate hypoallergenic infant formula was created and advertised to contain all the nutrition an infant would need for its first year. It seemed to be a viable choice for parents who had children with difficulties processing formula derived from the milk of cows or soy-based products.

Many parents relied upon its claims which indicated that it contained all the vitamins and minerals that a baby would need and typically get from traditional formulas. The manufacturers also said that the proteins in Neocate hypoallergenic infant formula are directly broken down by the child’s body into amino acids to prevent reactions.

Neocate hypoallergenic infant formula has been linked to a condition known as rickets. Rickets is a disease whereby the bones are literally soft and can break easily. In several cases where parents totally relied upon the company’s full nutrition claims, infants either failed to grow at expected rates or developed deformities of the skeletal system.

A medical journal known as Bone published a study of Neocate hypoallergenic infant formula in 2017 which had analyzed the health of 51 infants that had been completely reliant upon it. The findings were startling in that 94 percent of the children investigated had some sign of poor bone development or a low phosphate blood level which indicated soft bone problems to come.

An adequate and—most importantly—an absorbable level of phosphorus is critical to human bone development, density, and growth. While we typically think of calcium as the magic nutritional key in this regard, both minerals are necessary to secure optimum skeletal health.

Infant formulas that are non-hypoallergenic and commonly considered acceptable nutritionally in the developed world typically contain proteins derived from purified cow’s milk, whey, or casein. Additionally, they contain vitamins and minerals, vegetable oil fats, and lactose for a carbohydrate source.

Eighteen years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report that indicated that infant formulas prepared according to a global standard known as Codex Alimentarius was safe for children as a nutrition supplement for infants starting solid foods and also as a breast milk substitute where it was impossible for the mother to nurse her child.

Emphasis was put upon the preparation of the formula. Scarcity of clean water and sanitizing equipment in developing countries was highly correlated with infant mortality when the formula was relied upon.

While the company has allegedly been working on adding more absorbable phosphorus to its nutritional profile, this does little for the parents who relied upon the company’s claims and have had to face issues with their children’s health.

What to do about Infant Allergies?

For those infants that have allergies, other elemental formulas using protein sources which breakdown easily into amino acids. It should be noted, however, that breastfeeding an infant can help prevent many future allergies as well as common childhood ailments such as recurrent ear infections, eczema, and problems with digestion.

According to MedlinePlus, only breast milk truly has all the antibodies and proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals that an infant needs. While there are situations that make it difficult and sometimes nearly impossible to breastfeed, nursing an infant through at least six months of age is recommended.