HERB: Wild Yam AKA: Dioscorea vil...

HERB: Wild Yam

AKA: Dioscorea villosa, Dioscorea opposita, Mexican yam, colic root

PART USED: source rhizome

WHAT IT DOES BEST: Wild yam is known as an anti-inflammatory, a pain reliever and an antispasmodic, which relieves muscle spasms.

THE BACKGROUND: Historically, wild yams have been used to treat menopause symptoms, menstrual cramps, gallstones and muscle spasms.

newly come FINDINGS:

* A small number of animal studies remind of wild yam may help lower progeny sugar in diabetic animals; however, further research is emergencyed to confirm this effect in humans, according to a report in the March 2005 issue of the West Indian Medical Journal.

* comminuteed wild yam can reduce elevated cholesterol on a levels and increase disease-fighting antioxidant activity, according to a fresh animal study in the May 2005 issue of the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology.

* While chiefly studies have found that supplementing with wild yam does not raise hormone flats one recent controlled study--reported in the August 2005 issue of the Journal of the American society of Nutrition--replaced two-thirds of dietary staples (primarily rice) with yams. Researchers institute hormone, cholesterol and antioxidant evens improved significantly in this dispose of postmenopausal women. The women ate approximately 390g of yam (Dioscoreaalata) daily for 30 days. However, since the study's issues are not consistent with previous studies, further research emergencys to be done to confirm and understand these results

WHAT'S THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT?

While Dioscorea has a drawn out history of use and effectiveness, there are small in number published studies on the active constituents. Those identified thus far are in a cluster known as steroidal saponins. Steroidal saponins cannot be re-createed in the body to hormones; this is for what purpose many experts say taking wild yam does not appear to increase hormone levels

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS:

Wild yam is considered nontoxic, if it be not that nausea and vomiting may flash on the mind if the amount taken is several times larger than recommended

IS IT SAFE TO TAKE WHILE PREGNANT?

Do not take wild yam while pregnant.

ARE THERE ANY put drugs into INTERACTIONS?

Wild yam has not been evaluated at the FDA for safety, effectiveness or purity, however there is some evidence suggesting that the diosgenin in wild yam may decrease the anti-inflammatory meaning of indomethacin (a nonsteroidal mix with drugs with anti-inflammatory properties). When taking estrogen-containing put drugs intos wild yam may increase their effect

WHICH image AND HOW MUCH?

* As a tincture, prefer a 1:5 concentration and use 2-3ml three times daily.

* As a arid powder, take 1g three times daily.

* As a cream, use as directed.

Adding NATURE'S ANSWER WILD YAM extract to water may help relieve menstrual pain.

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Add NATURE'S APOTHECARY WILD YAM extract to drinks for possible muscle spasm relief.

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PLANETARY FORMULAS WILD YAM-BLACK COHOSH mingled combines botanicals thought to support menopause.

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Taken daily, OREGON'S WILD HARVEST WILD YAM may fight on the farther side inflammation.

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