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Herbs ~ Wild Yam
(Dioscorea villosa)
Misconceptions about the active ingredients in wild yam have led to much marketing hype.The herb has been hailed as a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy for menopause.Even though it's not been proved effective for this purpose, wild yam does have other benefits.
| COMMON USES |
WHAT IT IS |
FOUND IN HERBALIFE PRODUCTS
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- Relieves menstrual cramps.
- May ease the pain of endometriosis.
- Reduces inflammation.
| Wild yam is not related, even distantly, to the familiar vegetable most commonly served at Thanksgiving.(In fact, these orange tubers aren't true yams at all but sweet potatoes.)A native plant of North and Central America, the wild yam was first used medicinally by the Aztecs and Mayans because of its pain-relieving qualities.Later, European settlers took advantage of the wild yam's therapeutic properties and utilized it for treating joint pain and colic.The root is the part of the plant that has medicinal value.It is available as a dried herb for use in tea, and is also sold in capsule, tablet, softgel, and tincture forms. | |
| FORMS |
WHAT IT DOES |
SHOPPING HINTS
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- Tablet
- Capsule
- Tincture
- Dried herb/Tea
- Softgel
| In recent years, wild yam has been extolled for its ability to mimic certain hormones - especially progesterone - and said to relieve menopausal or PMS symptoms.Most of these claims, however, remain scientifically unproved.It is true that wild yam contains a substance called diosgenin that can be converted to progesterone in the laboratory, but the human body is unable to make this conversion. Some holistic practitioners, however, have reported that patients suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopausal symptoms experienced good results with wild yam cream - which is applied to the soft areas of the body (belly and thighs).How the cream helps in unclear.Sometimes manufacturers of the creams add laboratory-synthesized progesterone, which could well account for some of the therapeutic effects.(This progesterone is not always listed on the product label.)At this time, despite the positive patient reports, the value of pure wild yam creams has yet to be scientifically proved. When taken in capsule, tincture, or tea form, however, wild yam does have other medicinal effects.Some herbalists believe that crude forms of this herb may help hormonal imbalances associated with PMS and menopause because it contains estrogenlike substances.In addition, it acts as a muscle relaxant, antispasmodic, and anit-inflammatory, which may explain why it eases menstrual complaints in some women.
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- Don't be fooled by label claims on natural progesterone creams that contain wild yam.The molecules of the hormonelike compounds in wild yam are too large to be absorbed through the skin, and, in any case, cannot be converted to progesterone by the body.If these creams do have a possible hormonal effect, it is probably because they contain progesterone that has been synthesized in a laboratory, often from wild yam or from soybeans.If you decide to buy a natural progesterone cream ignore any label claims about wild yam and look for a product that has been certified to contain 400 mg of USP-grade natural progesterone per ounce.
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| CAUTION! |
MAJOR BENEFITS |
DID YOU KNOW
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- Pregnant women should not use wild yam.
- Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.
| Wild yam contains substances called alkaloids, which are muscle relaxants that especially target muscles in the abdomen and pelvis.This action suggests that wild yam may be of particular value for digestive disorders, such as diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.It can also improve menstrual cramps and the pain associated with endometriosis.Some women find that wild yam combined with other herbs, such as chasteberry, produces a mild sedative effect that can relieve symptoms of PMS.
| The first birth control pill was derived from diosgenin, the hormonelike compound found in wild yam. |
| POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS |
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS |
GUIDELINES FOR USE
| | In extremely large amounts, wild yam supplements and tinctures can cause nausea and diarrhea. | Other active ingredients found in wild yam, known as steroidal saponins, play a role in alleviating muscle strains, chronic muscle pain, and arthritis.
| Have wild yam supplements or tincture with food to minimize stomach upset.To make wild yam tea, pour a cup of very hot water over 1 or 2 teaspoons of the dried herb and let steep for 15 minutes.You can also add other soothing herbs to this tea - valerian or peppermint, for example - when using it for digestive disorders.
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