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Soy formula is a far from optimal solu- tion for bottle-fed infants who are allergic to FORMULA FOR DISASTER: dairy formulas. ‘The plant oestrogens in soy AROUND THE WORLD WITH SOY ALLERGIES can interfere with proper development of . . . . the infant's thyroid, brain and reproductive Allergic reactions occur to soy formula in children all over the world, systems. Soy formula also falls short as a particularly those affected by other allergies: solution to cow's milk allergy (see chapter Victoria, Australia - Soy milk allergies in 47 per cent of 97 children 22 and elsewhere in this article). with cow's milk allergies; Symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating, - Berlin, Germany - Soybean allergies in 16 per cent of children with vomiting and skin rashes sometimes go atopic dermatitis; away when infants are switched from dairy + Bonn, Germany — Soybean allergies in 10 per cent of children with sus- formula to soy, but the relief is usually only pected food allergy; temporary. In many infants, the symptoms = Milan, Italy - Soybean allergies in 17 per cent of children with food return with a vengeance within a week or intolerance; soybean allergies in 21 per cent of 704 atopic children; two. = Rome, Italy - Soy allergies found in 22 per cent of 371 children with As Dr Stefano Guandalini, of the food allergy; Department of Pediatrics, University of = Malm6, Sweden - Soybean allergies in 35 per cent of infants with Chicago, writes, "A significant number of cow's milk allergies; children with cow's milk protein intolerance = San Diego, USA - Soybean allergies found in 25 per cent of infants develop soy protein intolerance when soy sensitive to cow's milk; milk is used in dietary management". © Bangkok, Thailand - Soybean allergies in 17 per cent of children Interestingly enough, researchers recently sensitive to cow's milk; detected and identified a soy protein com- Thailand — Soy allergies in 4 per cent of 100 asthmatic children; ponent that cross-reacts with caseins from 2 New Haven, CT, USA - Soy and milk allergies found in 62 per cent cow's milk.** Cross reactions occur when | and soy and gluten allergies found in 35 per cent of infants and children foods are chemically related to each other. with multiple gastrointestinal allergies; Adverse reactions caused by soybean for- = Ohio, USA - Sensitivity to soy formula found in 5 per cent of 148 mulas occur in at least 14 to 35 per cent of children with respiratory allergies. infants allergic to cow's milk, according to Dr Matthias Besler of Hamburg, Germany, (Source: Literature review on Dr Matthias Besler's website, and the international team of allergy spe- http://www .food-allergens.de.contents-2000.html; for full citations, see cialists who help him with the informative endnotes 110-121) website, http://www.food-allergens.de/con- tents-2000.html.*’ Dr Guandalini's helpful website, This has led some physicians to recommend starting infants off http://www.emedicine.com/ped/ topic2128.htm, reports the results from birth on soy formula. This does not stop a tendency to of an unpublished study of 2,108 infants and toddlers in Italy, of | develop food allergies. As C. D. May, of the Department of which 53 per cent of the babies under three months old who had Pediatrics, National Jewish Hospital and Research Center, reacted poorly to dairy formula also reacted to soy formula. Denver, put it, "Feeding a soy product from birth for 112 days did Although experts generally attribute this high level of reactivity to not prevent a brisk antibody response to cow milk introduced the immature—hence vulnerable—digestive tract of infants, this subsequently, comparable to or greater than the antibody response study showed that 35 per cent of the children over one year old seen when cow milk products were fed from birth".”' who were allergic to cow's milk protein also developed an allergy to soy protein. In all, 47 per cent had to discontinue the soy BOWELLED OVER formula. People diagnosed with "allergic colitis" suffer from bloody Infants who are allergic to dairy formulas are allergic to soy diarrhoea, ulcerations and tissue damage, particularly to the formulas so often that researchers have begun advising paediatri- sigmoid area of the descending colon. The leading cause in infants cians to stop recommending soy and start prescribing hypoaller- is cow's milk allergy, but 47 to 60 per cent of those infants react genic hydrolysed casein or whey formulas. the same way to soy formula. Curiously, inflammatory changes in A study of 216 infants at high risk for developing allergies the mucus lining of the intestines appear even in infants who seem revealed comparable levels of eczema and asthma whether they to be tolerating soy: no diarrhoea, no hives, no blood in the stool were drinking cow's milk formula or the more "hypoallergenic" or other obvious allergic signs. One study showed that clinical soy formula. reactions occurred in 16 per cent of the children on soy formula, Upon conclusion of the study, the message was clear: only but that histological and enzymological intestinal damage occurred "exclusive breastfeeding or feeding with a partial whey in an additional 38 per cent of the children. This second group hydrolysate formula is associated with the lower incidence of showed damage to the intestinal cells and tissues as viewed under atopic disease and food allergy. This is a cost-effective approach a microscope and through blood tests, indicating increased levels to the prevention of allergic disease in children".” of xylose (an indigestible sugar used to diagnose "leaky gut" and No one can make a good argument that soy formula is other intestinal disorders). The researchers also found depleted hypoallergenic, but many still say that its soy proteins may be less levels of sucrase, lactase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase— sensitising than cow's milk proteins. When babies develop soy evidence that the infants’ digestive capacity was compromised, intolerance, the blame tends to go to earlier damage done to the their stress levels were increased and immune systems intestines by cow's milk protein.” challenged.” FORMULA FOR DISASTER: AROUND THE WORLD WITH SOY ALLERGIES BOWELLED OVER People diagnosed with "allergic colitis" suffer from bloody diarrhoea, ulcerations and tissue damage, particularly to the sigmoid area of the descending colon. The leading cause in infants is cow's milk allergy, but 47 to 60 per cent of those infants react the same way to soy formula. Curiously, inflammatory changes in the mucus lining of the intestines appear even in infants who seem to be tolerating soy: no diarrhoea, no hives, no blood in the stool or other obvious allergic signs. One study showed that clinical reactions occurred in 16 per cent of the children on soy formula, but that histological and enzymological intestinal damage occurred in an additional 38 per cent of the children. This second group showed damage to the intestinal cells and tissues as viewed under a microscope and through blood tests, indicating increased levels of xylose (an indigestible sugar used to diagnose "leaky gut" and other intestinal disorders). The researchers also found depleted levels of sucrase, lactase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase— evidence that the infants’ digestive capacity was compromised, their stress levels were increased and immune systems challenged.” NEXUS 29 AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2004 www.nexusmagazine.com