Some concerned parents who're worried that their child could suffer from an allergic or autoimmune disorder may opt for hydrolysed infant milk formula to lower this risk.
However, new research reveals that there's really no good evidence to suggest that it will protect children from these health issues.
"We found no consistent evidence to support a protective role for partially or extensively hydrolysed formula", researchers, said. "Our findings conflict with current international guidelines, in which hydrolysed formula is widely recommended for young formula fed infants with a family history of allergic disease."
While current infant feeding guidelines, including those from North America, Australasia, and Europe, recommend hydrolysed cows' milk formula instead of standard infant formula for preventing such diseases in infants during the first months of life, study findings show no consistent evidence that partially or extensively hydrolysed milk formula prevents allergic or autoimmune diseases in infants.
During their research, the study authors worked on a systemic review and meta analysis involving 37 intervention trials, including over 19,000 participants, undertaken between 1946-2015.
Researchers compared hydrolysed cows' milk formula to another hydrolysed formula, standard cows' milk formula and human breast milk. They also reported on autoimmune conditions, allergic sensitization outcomes and allergic disease, including conditions such as allergic rhinitis and/or conjunctivitis, asthma, eczema, food allergy and allergic sensitization, as well as the autoimmune disease type 1 diabetes.
In addition, the report suggests no evidence in favor of the FDA-claim that a partially hydrolysed formula may reduce the risk of eczema, nor the Cochrane review's conclusion that hydrolysed formula could help prevent cows' milk allergy.
An accompanying editorial by Caroline Lodge and colleagues from the University of Melbourne notes that "while experts might recognise the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of hydrolysed formulas in prevention of allergies, it seems that these formulas are currently recommended in the hope that they might prevent allergic disease and on the basis that they are unlikely to do any harm."
"It is now time for this evidence to be used for updating and clarifying current recommendations and guidelines. Furthermore, we encourage industry to pursue development of effective allergy reducing infant formulas and call for further transparent and well conducted studies in this area."
The study was published Tuesday (March 8) in The British Medical Journal.
