Soy milk formulas account for approximately 25% of infant milk formulas purchased in the United States.  The reasons for switching from cow milk to soy formulas are numerous, however only a few of these reasons have been proven to be medically beneficial.  Despite the limited number of medical reasons to switch to soy formula, it remains an inexpensive and safe option.

What is soy milk?

Soy milk is a nutritional product of the soy bean plant.  Soy formulas have proven to promote growth and development in children equally as well as breast or cow milk formulas, however some components of the milk are different. 

What are some examples of soy milk formula?

•           Good Start® Essentials Soy (Nestle)

•           Prosobee® (Mead Johnson)

•           Isomil® (Ross)

•           And multiple store brands (Wyeth)

What are some possible advantages of soy milk formulas?

•           They comply with a vegetarian diet but vegetarian diets are generally not recommended in infants

•           Allergic reactions to cow milk may not occur in soy milk diets

•           The taste is similar to cow milk formulas

•           They are less expensive than protein hydrosylate formulas

•           And they are lactose-free

What are some possible disadvantages of soy milk formulas?

•           There is no good evidence that soy helps: colic, loose stools, spitting-up, vomiting, or belly pain

•           Lactose intolerance is rare in infants and is probably over-diagnosed

•           If a baby is allergic to cow milk proteins, they are often allergic to soy products also

•           Hydrosylate formulas are a better choice for milk protein allergy in most cases

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