Nutricia Neocate, a hypoallergenic formula developed for infants and toddlers with certain food allergies, has been associated with numerous medical disorders.

One of these is a condition known as hypophosphatemia, or phosphate deficiency, a condition that can increase the risk of broken bones. In some cases, parents and guardians of minor children have gotten into legal trouble when these injuries were mistakenly identified as child abuse.

What is Nutricia Neocate?

Neocate, a product of Nutricia North America, is a baby formula that has been advertised as “hypoallergenic” as well as “nutritionally complete” for infants up to one year old. Designed for children who suffer from lactose intolerance and soy allergies, the company further claims that Nutricia Neocate “supports normal growth and development.”

The evidence suggests otherwise. In addition to brittle bones, children who have been fed Nutricia Neocate wind up developing rickets, skeletal deformities and stunted growth linked to nutritional deficiencies.

A Scientific Study Discovers Problems

In 2017, the journal Bone published a joint study from the Mayo Clinic, carried out in conjunction with Yale University. Out of 51 cases of young children who were given Nutricia Neocate as a primary food source, all but three suffered from rickets as well as dangerously low phosphate levels.

Normally the result of a vitamin D deficiency, rickets is a condition that makes it difficult for the gastrointestinal tract to absorb calcium, which is vital for the formation of strong bones. Furthermore, calcium requires the presence of phosphorus in order to do its job; 50 percent of a bone’s makeup is phosphorus.

Nutricia Neocate Leads to Wrongful Accusations of Child Abuse

Earlier last year, the father of a Mississippi boy who suffered multiple bone fractures became the target of an investigation by local Child Protective Services agents. The boy, age 10 at the time, had been fed a diet consisting exclusively of Nutricia Neocate. It was only after the man’s daughter had seen an attorney’s television ad that he became aware of potential issues concerning Nutricia Neocate.

The boy was then taken to a medical facility for testing. There, physicians discovered that his blood phosphate levels for extremely low – a clear risk factor for weakened bones.

Nutricia Responds

Neocate manufacturer Nutricia has stated that the subjects in the Mayo Clinc study represented only a small fraction of the number of children who use the product. Nonetheless, a company spokesperson has stated that guidelines for Nutricia Neocate consumers and their physicians have been developed and issued, recommending that children who are fed the product be closely monitored. Furthermore, Nutricia is introducing a new product containing greater amounts of easily absorbed phosphate.

Nutricia Neocate and Other Products

Other Nutricia Neocate product offerings and formulations include:

• Infant DHA/ARA
• Junior (with and without Probiotics)
• Nutra
• Syneo Infant
• Splash

Parents who use any of these products for their young children should be aware of the potential side effects. In some cases, Nutricia recommends nutritional monitoring by a qualified healthcare provider.