Research into the baby food Neocate indicates that the meal replacement formula may be linked to dangerous side effects including rickets and other skeletal abnormalities.

Neocate infant formula is a hypoallergenic formula designed for babies and young children with food allergies or difficulties absorbing and processing nutrients. It was created as a substitute meal for children with allergies to milk or soy.

The proteins in Neocate are completely broken down into individual amino acids, making the formula easy to digest and absorb. However, research published in the journal Bone in 2017 indicates that the formula may have unintended side effects and serious consequences for these children.

Neocate Bone Study

The study published in Bone followed 51 children at 17 institutions who had been fed a diet consisting exclusively of Neocate for varying amounts of time. All of these children were diagnosed with hypophosphatemia, a disorder characterized by a low level of phosphate in the blood. 94 percent of the children in the study had skeletal abnormalities including bone fractures, undermineralization, or rickets.

When their diets were changed from Neocate to a different formula product or supplemented with phosphate, almost all of the children’s skeletal abnormalities improved.

Neocate Side Effects

The children being fed exclusively through Neocate formula were found to have trouble absorbing phosphate, leading to hypophosphatemia. Hypophosphatemia can lead to many issues including muscle dysfunction and weakness, low bone density, skeletal abnormalities, and changes in mental state.

Additional dangerous Neocate side effects include:

• Rickets, or a softening of the bones, frequently characterized by bowed legs. While rickets is often linked to a deficiency of vitamin D, many other mineral deficiencies can cause this bone disorder.
• Stunted growth.
• Broken bones or bone fractures.
• Skeletal deformities and long term skeletal damage.

Who is at Risk?

While the children who take Neocate as a hypoallergenic meal replacement substitute are at risk of developing a variety of health conditions from the formula, the family members of these children also face unique risks. In one case reported from Mississippi in 2018, a boy’s father found himself facing allegations of child abuse after several fractures were discovered on his son’s body.

According to the Clarion Ledger, the 10-year-old child had cerebral palsy and was fed a diet consisting mainly of Neocate through a feeding tube. After multiple instances of unexplained fractures and injuries, the father was put under investigation by CPS for possible child abuse.

Eventually, it was discovered that bone weaknesses and deformities caused by Neocate were the more likely culprit for the child’s skeletal injuries and the boy was weaned off of Neocate and switched to a different diet.

If your child has taken Neocate formula and has suffered from hypophosphatemia, rickets, bone fractures, or other skeletal injuries, you may be eligible to join a free class action lawsuit or investigation into Neocate injuries at no cost to you.