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Wild yam is a plant that has been promoted as natural DHEA because it contains diosgenin, which can be used in the lab to create estrogen.There are over 600 species of wild yams. About 12 species are edible. Some people use wild yam as a source of steroids, but the body can't make steroids such as estrogen and DHEA from eating wild yam. This conversion has to be done in a lab. There might be other chemicals in wild yam that act like estrogen in the body.
People most commonly use wild yam as a "natural alterative" to estrogen therapy for symptoms of menopause, infertility, menstrual problems, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any of these uses.
Als known as colic root, wild yam is a twining, tuberous vine. One species is native to North America; another is native to China. Both contain diosgenin and have similar medicinal properties. There are an estimated 600 species of yam in the genus Dioscorea. Many of them are wild species that flourish in damp woodlands and thickets, and not all of them contain diosgenin. Wild yam is a perennial vine with pale brown, knotty, woody cylindrical rootstocks, or tubers. Unlike sweet potato yams, the roots are not fleshy. Instead they are dry, narrow, and crooked, and bear horizontal branches of long creeping runners. The thin, reddish-brown stems grow to a length of over 30 feet. The roots initially taste starchy, but soon after taste bitter and acrid.
The wild yam plant has clusters of small, greenish-white and greenish-yellow flowers. The heart-shaped leaves are long and broad and long-stemmed. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth while the underside is downy.
Some traditional medicine practitioners believe that wild yam has anti-inflammatory properties and use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
There still needs to be more research specifically about Rheumatoid arthritis and wild yam, but its action as an anti-inflammatory could reduce pain by interacting with with the body's ability to increase inflammation.
It is important to consider a few factors regarding the correct dosage of wild yam. Age and health condition of the individual are important, especially if pregnant.
It is always best to consult a physician, especially since there really isn't enough evidence about wild yams at this time. Follow the directions on labels, and check with your health care provider first.
Wild yam is usually found as a liquid extract, dried herb, powder, capsule or tablet. The liquid version can be made into tea.
You can also purchase creams containing wild yam, but unless it has been to a laboratory, it likely does not contain the chemical needed to affect hormones. Our bodies do not convert it naturally.
You can also add it to a tincture - ask your doctor about the best application.
Using wild yam therapeutically is not recommended for children. There simply isn't enough data to support its safety.
Wild yam is often combined with other herbs known to have estrogen-like effects, namely black cohosh. Wild yam creams, tablets and powders may contain synthetic hormones since they are produced in labs. Check the ingredients carefully, and consult a doctor.