What Is Didronel?

Learn about the chelating characteristics of Didronel and its usage in personal care products.

What Is Didronel? Brandon Jones / IngredientReviewer

Last Updated: October 2, 2024

Written by Brandon Jones

What Is Didronel?

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Etidronate disodium is a chemical that can help remove certain minerals from cosmetics and food. It comes in a solid form and is made by combining etidronic acid with sodium ions. It can affect how the body uses calcium, which is important for healthy bones. Sometimes it can accidentally get into food when it's used to clean equipment that makes steam for cooking. It's also used to clean poultry and fruit to prevent germs from spreading. When it gets into our bodies, most of it sticks to our bones because they like it the most!

What is the purpose of Didronel in personal care products? It is used for its chelating characteristics. Didronel prevents ingredient degradation.

Names and identifiers that we found for this substance include: Didronel, Diphos, Etidronate disodium, Disodium ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate, Disodium dihydrogen (1-hydroxyethylidene)bisphosphonate, "Phosphonic acid, (1-hydroxyethylidene)bis-, disodium salt", and Disodium (1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diyl)bis[hydrogen (phosphonate)].

What Are Chelating Ingredients?

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Didronel has chelating characteristics.

Chelating ingredients in cosmetic products help maintain the product's effectiveness and stability by preventing degradation. They work by binding to metal ions, such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, that can be present in the water used to make the product or that may be present on the skin.

These metal ions can cause the cosmetic product to deteriorate over time, leading to color, texture, and odor changes. Chelating ingredients help to prevent this by capturing the metal ions and preventing them from reacting with the other ingredients in the product.

In addition, chelating ingredients can help enhance preservatives' effectiveness by preventing them from being deactivated by metal ions.

Chelating Ingredients in Other Products

Chelating ingredients can be used in food and beverages to control metal ions affecting taste, color, and texture. For example, they stabilize colors in canned fruits and vegetables and prevent oxidation in wine.

Chelating agents are used in pharmaceutical products to help improve their stability and shelf life. They can help to prevent metal-catalyzed degradation and enhance the effectiveness of certain drugs.

Types of Chelating Ingredients

Here are some of the most common types of chelating ingredients:

  • Amino acids and peptides: These compounds contain functional groups that can form coordination bonds with metal ions, such as carboxylic acid and amine groups.

  • Polycarboxylic acids: These are complex organic acids with multiple carboxylic acid functional groups that can form strong chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Organic acids: These include citric acid, acetic acid, and oxalic acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Sugars and sugar acids: These include compounds such as glucose, fructose, and gluconic acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Polyamines: These are organic compounds with multiple amine functional groups that can form coordination bonds with metal ions.

  • Hydroxycarboxylic acids: These include compounds such as gluconic acid and tartaric acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Sulfonic acids: These are organic acids containing functional groups that can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Phosphates: These include compounds such as phosphoric acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

Safety

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Remember, always read and follow the instructions provided on product labels carefully. If you have any questions or concerns about using a product containing various ingredients, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before use.