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Amino Acid-Based Formulas are hypoallergenic. Learn more about how they can help.
Amino acid-based formulas are hypoallergenic and made up of free amino acids, the basic building blocks of protein. Unlike other formulas, amino acid-based infant formulas do not contain intact milk proteins, making them suitable for babies with milk protein allergies who cannot tolerate extensively hydrolyzed formulas.
Hydrolyzed formulas on the other hand contain fragments of protein (usually derived from cow milk) which may still trigger an allergic reaction in some individuals.
What is the difference between the different types of hypoallergenic formulas?
When an infant with food allergies needs a hypoallergenic baby formula, they require one that won’t trigger an allergic response. Hypoallergenic formulas are made for infants with one or multiple food allergies.
The protein source in this type of formula is either broken-down protein chains (as found in extensively hydrolyzed formulas) or free amino acids (in the case of amino acid-based formulas). Amino acid-based formulas do not contain intact milk proteins, making them suitable for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies who cannot tolerate other formulas.
Your doctor will determine if the use of amino acid-based formulas, like the Neocate infant formula, is the better option for your baby. These prepared formulas provide essential nutrition while minimizing allergic reactions.
For children with cow’s milk allergy (CMA) who do not respond adequately to the use of an extensively hydrolyzed protein formula, an amino acid-based formula may be used to ensure proper nutrition and reduce allergic symptoms.
The efficacy of amino acid-based formulas, such as the Neocate infant formula, lies in their composition of free amino acids, which eliminates exposure to intact proteins that trigger allergic reactions. Healthcare providers recommend these prepared formulas particularly for infants showing persistent symptoms despite other hypoallergenic options.
Since its inception, Neocate has designed and fine-tuned its hypoallergenic amino acid-based formula family and helped with dietary management in millions of babies and children with CMA, MFA, and related GI and allergic conditions around the world. These formulas may be used as an exclusive source of nutrition for infants under one year old and are supported by extensive research demonstrating their efficacy, including their ability to meet the nutritional needs of children with cow’s milk allergy and other food allergies.
The formulation of Neocate, which contains free amino acids and is free from intact milk proteins, plays a crucial role in its efficacy, helping to reduce allergic reactions and support growth and development in this vulnerable population.
Our AAF has been scientifically demonstrated to be effective in managing cow milk allergy, multiple food allergies and related gastrointestinal & allergic conditions.
Since the 1980s, there has been an ever-expanding body of evidence on the role of hypoallergenic amino acid-based formulas in managing food allergies, including cow’s milk allergy (CMA). CMA is one of the most common food allergies in young children, and it has been a particular focal point for doctors and scientists.
Indeed, the first years of life are important for a child’s development and growth. Over the years, the management of CMA and other food allergies has changed.
The first formulas used to manage CMA were hydrolyzed infant formulas, meaning that the milk proteins had been broken down into smaller parts (peptides). Nonetheless, it became apparent that extensively hydrolyzed infant formulas, or hydrolysate formulas, were not always adequate to manage all forms of IgE- and non-IgE-mediated CMA. This led to the development and use of hypoallergenic amino acid-based formulas for conditions requiring such specialized formulas.
Clinical studies around the world confirmed that there was a need for a hypoallergenic formula to help manage individuals with various food allergies, including cow’s milk allergy.
More than 190 publications support the use of Neocate for a wide variety of conditions and ages. Research studies have been presented at leading scientific meetings and published in peer-reviewed medical journals such as:
Amino acid-based formulas are the most hypoallergenic formulas available. For patients with severe symptoms, they are sometimes the only solution. Their free amino acids are easily digested and do not provoke the immune system into an allergic reaction.
While partially hydrolyzed formulas and standard infant formulas are available for less severe cases, extensively hydrolyzed infant formulas are designed with proteins broken down into smaller pieces to reduce allergenicity. However, extensively hydrolyzed infant formulas may still cause allergic reactions in some patients, which highlights the importance of considering specialized formulas such as the hypoallergenic amino acid-based Neocate.
Symptoms of a cow milk or food allergy are often broad and non-specific, and infants may suffer from one or more at a time. If you have used an extensively hydrolyzed formula (eHF), and symptoms do not improve within a few weeks, then your doctor may recommend the use of an AAF.
Doctors and dietitians are trained to look out for some of the following signs and symptoms for CMA which require the use of an AAF such as Neocate.
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