{"ok":true,"entry":{"slug":"wild-yam","kind":"supplement","name":"wild yam","aliases":["Dioscorea villosa","diosgenin"],"brands_sg":["Nature's Way","Swanson Vitamins","Solaray","Herb Pharm","Nature's Answer"],"class":"botanical","tags":["womens-health"],"use_for":"sold for menopause — the one trial found no symptom effect","use_after":null,"use_duration":"the trial ran 3 months of cream after a 4-week baseline","take_with":null,"pros":["one double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial","no significant side-effects over 3 months in 23 women"],"cons":["no symptom, lipid or hormone change vs placebo","diosgenin does not convert to progesterone in the body","many yam creams have been found to contain adulterants"],"dose_note":"the only controlled human trial read here applied a wild yam cream topically for 3 months to 23 healthy menopausal women in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design after a 4-week baseline; neither the trial abstract nor the 2016 pharmacological review states the amount of extract or of diosgenin in the cream, so no number is given here, and the oral capsules sold in singapore are a different form from what was tested; wild yam contains diosgenin, which can be chemically converted to progesterone in a factory but has no biological pathway for that conversion in the body; no rda, ul, fda daily value or hsa singapore daily limit exists for wild yam","dosage":{"ul":null,"unit":"mg","fda_dv":null,"rda_ai":null,"ul_status":"none_established","population":"general adult","hsa_max_daily":null},"ul_status":"none_established","sg_class":null,"cautions":["the only controlled trial used a topical cream, not the oral capsules sold in singapore","a 2016 review reports that many yam creams contain adulterants and recommends avoiding them","not listed in hsa's prohibited or restricted annexes — that is absence of a listing, not a safety finding"],"clashes":[],"sources":[{"id":"komesaroff2001_design","url":"https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/11428178","label":"Effects of wild yam extract on menopausal symptoms, lipids and sex hormones in healthy menopausal women (Komesaroff et al., Climacteric 2001) — abstract via Europe PMC, methods","quote":"We therefore conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of the effects of a wild yam cream in 23 healthy women suffering from troublesome symptoms of the menopause.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"komesaroff2001_duration","url":"https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/11428178","label":"Komesaroff et al., Climacteric 2001 — baseline period and treatment duration","quote":"After a 4-week baseline period, each woman was given active cream and matching placebo for 3 months in random order.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"komesaroff2001_results","url":"https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/11428178","label":"Komesaroff et al., Climacteric 2001 — results","quote":"there were no changes in weight, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, or levels of total serum cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, FSH, glucose, estradiol, or serum or salivary progesterone","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"komesaroff2001_concl","url":"https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/11428178","label":"Komesaroff et al., Climacteric 2001 — conclusions","quote":"short-term treatment with topical wild yam extract in women suffering from menopausal symptoms is free of side-effects, but appears to have little effect on menopausal symptoms","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"pharmrev2016_diosgenin","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC5050441","label":"Botanicals and Their Bioactive Phytochemicals for Women's Health (Dietz et al., Pharmacological Reviews 2016), section on Dioscorea villosa (wild yam)","quote":"Wild yam contains diosgenin, which is used in the manufacturing of synthetic steroids. Diosgenin can be chemically converted to progesterone, although there is no biological pathway for the conversion in vivo","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"pharmrev2016_trial","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC5050441","label":"Dietz et al., Pharmacological Reviews 2016 — the wild yam cream trial as summarised in the review","quote":"When given as a cream, there was no significant effect on menopausal symptoms in 23 women after 3 months compared with placebo. No significant adverse effects were reported.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"pharmrev2016_verdict","url":"https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC5050441","label":"Dietz et al., Pharmacological Reviews 2016 — current recommendation on wild yam creams","quote":"The current recommendations are that yam creams are ineffective for menopause and because many contain adulterants they should be avoided","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_prohibited","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-chp-prohibited-restricted-ing-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA Singapore — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025), Annex A (118 rows) and Annex B (4 rows) — wild yam / Dioscorea villosa / diosgenin is NOT LISTED in either annex; Annex A runs 40. Digitalis spp. then 41. Drimia maritima, where 'Dioscorea' and 'Diosgenin' rows would fall","quote":"The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_hs_guidelines","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-hs-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 4.8 with Tables 4–5 (vitamins and minerals only — no botanical rows)","quote":"4.8 HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"hsa_claims_table6","url":"https://file.go.gov.sg/hsa-hs-guidelines.pdf","label":"HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 6.6 and Table 6 (diseases/conditions not allowed for health supplements), reproductive-system row","quote":"HS must not be labelled, advertised or promoted for any specific medicinal purpose … Reproductive system: Menstrual disorders, sexual dysfunction, infertility, frigidity, impotency, conception, pregnancy","accessed":"2026-08-27"},{"id":"iherb_sg","url":"https://sg.iherb.com/c/wild-yam","label":"iHerb Singapore — Wild Yam category page, default listing order","quote":"1 - 10 of 10 results: Nature's Way, Wild Yam Root; Swanson Vitamins, Wild Yam Root; Solaray, PhytoEstrogen With Wild Yam, Black Cohosh & Dong Quai; Herb Pharm, Wild Yam; Nature's Answer, Wild Yam 220 mg; Nutricost, Wild Yam Root","accessed":"2026-08-27"}],"brand_certs":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-29T16:16:34.039038+08:00"},"disclaimer":"kozen-x is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. it lists what published sources have written down. absence of a record is not the same as safe."}