The diosgenin that can be found in wild yam is used to make a variety of steroids for medical use, including progesterone, cortisone and dehydroepiandrosterone. These symptoms are caused by a decline in ovarian function – your ovaries start to produce less oestrogen as you go through perimenopause, usually starting in your 40s. So exactly how can wild yam help ease the symptoms of menopause? Keep reading to find out how it affects the hormone levels in the body. Does wild yam increase oestrogen or progesterone? A study in 2017 showed that people who consumed a yam extract supplement showed a higher functioning brain than those who used a placebo.

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 13 peri-and post-menopausal women in 1997 found that those taking wild yam combined with other herbs experienced a reduction in the number and severity of menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, mood changes and insomnia. 3 To date, some research has been carried out, and according to a study by the National Institutes of Health, there is ‘insufficient evidence’ that wild yam can help with PMS, painful periods, low libido or vaginal dryness. One study published in the journal, Life Sciences, in 1996 that explored the benefits of wild yam revealed that older people taking wild yam had lower triglyceride levels 9 – a type of fat found in the blood. Wild yam could be useful in regulating blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. However, the effect of dioscoretine on blood sugar has only been studied in animals so far. It is unclear whether it would have the same effect in humans. Cramps and muscular pain Meanwhile, its natural antispasmodic properties may help reduce oviductal and fallopian tube spasms, which can prevent conception and implantation from taking place. 6

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Using yam creams to increase progesterone levels is something that’s been the subject of much debate over the years. However, some researchers and organisations, such as the American Cancer Society, believe that wild yam has no effect on fertility because it doesn’t produce progesterone within the body. More recently, studies have found that wild yam contains a chemical called diosgenin, which has been identified as having numerous medicinal qualities. Other proponents of wild yam believe that it has anti-spasmodic properties, which are substances that reduce muscle spasms.

Kaur, B., et al. (2021). Current highlights on biochemical and pharmacological profile of dioscorea alata: A review. Some experts now believe another use of wild yam could be to reduce cholesterol levels, helping protect against heart disease. 8The bulb and roots of wild yams contain a chemical called diosgenin, which can influence the production of several useful hormones in humans, such as estrogen or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Some of the polysaccharides from Chinese yam reduce blood sugar, while others have strong antioxidant properties. 12

There is also insufficient evidence about whether wild yam is safe during pregnancy, breast-feeding, or for young children. For this reason, doctors recommend people avoid using wild yam during these times. While they may be starchy, they are relatively low-glycaemic due to their fibre content, which is around 2% of their overall weight. 11 This is due to the fact that the fibre turns into a gel that sits in the stomach, making you feel fuller for longer. It’s believed that the wild yam versions of diosgenin offer similar benefits to steroids that have been manufactured in a lab.https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ashish-Suttee/publication/349189059_CURRENT_HIGHLIGHTS_ON_BIOCHEMICAL_AND_PHARMACOLOGICAL_PROFILE_OF_DIOSCOREA_ALATA_A_REVIEW/links/603c653ea6fdcc37a85d603d/CURRENT-HIGHLIGHTS-ON-BIOCHEMICAL-AND-PHARMACOLOGICAL-PROFILE-OF-DIOSCOREA-ALATA-A-REVIEW.pdf Further studies have suggested that these results were closely related to the many antioxidants in yams. 15 More research is required to clarify whether wild yam would be beneficial for people with high cholesterol. Wild yam also goes by these names - American yam, Chinese yam, colic root, devil's bone, four-leaf yam, Mexican yam, rheumatism root, shan yao and yuma.

A study conducted on rats in 2014 found that a diet that’s rich in yams can lead to a significant reduction in colon tumours. 14

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the joints. This can cause pain and stiffness that restricts mobility in people with the condition. Why? Because some manufacturers of yam creams claim their products produce natural progesterone in the body or contain natural progesterone. 4 A 2013 study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine concluded that a daily dried extract of wild yam significantly reduced inflammatory markers in the blood samples of mice with medically-induced inflammation. The use of wild yam to help with rheumatism, and claims that it does help in this field, has continued until the present day. 10 Some traditional medicine practitioners believe that wild yam has anti-inflammatory properties and use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis.