Wild yam
Dioscorea villosa
Herbs & Roots. Native American and Western & European.
Also called Colic root, Rheumatism root, Mexican yam
Not a real progesterone sourceA North American climbing vine whose root is sold as a natural progesterone cream, a claim that is not supported.
Did you know? In the 1940s, chemists made progesterone from diosgenin, a chemical in Mexican yams, which made hormone drugs much cheaper to produce.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Digestion & gut health. Used for colic and cramps. No good human trials exist.Traditional proof
- Joint pain & arthritis. Used for arthritis and aches. No good human trials exist.Traditional proof
- Women's health. Sold as natural progesterone. The body cannot turn it into progesterone, and a small trial found no change in hormones or hot flashes.Not supported
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Native peoples and early settlers used the root for colic, cramps and joint pain. Eclectic doctors used it as an antispasmodic in the 1800s.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Antispasmodic, Anti-inflammatory. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Creams are rubbed on the skin, but they do not add real progesterone. Capsules or tinctures of the root are taken by mouth, with no tested dose. Do not rely on it for hormone therapy or birth control.
Topical, capsule, powder and tincture.
Where to get it
Grows in shaded woods, fence rows and stream banks of eastern and central North America. Most products come from wild-dug or farmed roots. Sold as powder, capsules, tinctures and creams.
Be careful
Usually mild, but can cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea at high doses. Some wild yam creams have been found to contain hidden synthetic hormones, which can cause real hormone side effects. Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and with hormone-sensitive cancer.
Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; hormone-sensitive cancer.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Often sold together in menopause blends. Neither has strong proof.
- Works well together
Both are sold as women's cycle and menopause herbs, though proof is weak for both.
- Works well together
Both are old folk blends for menstrual cramps. Proof is limited for each.
- Worth knowingBirth control (the pill and other hormonal birth control)
It does not provide birth control, so do not use it as a contraceptive.
The honest take
Wild yam cream is marketed as natural progesterone, but the body cannot make progesterone from it. A small trial found no change in hormone levels or hot flashes. Its real traditional use is for cramps, and modern research is thin.