Wild Yams (Dioscorea villosa) - Botanical Medicines

Wild Yams ( Dioscorea villosa )

According to Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide , wild yams contain progesterone, identical to that made in the human body. Wild yams, along with about 5,000 other plants, contain a compound called diosgenin, which is essentially a progesterone molecule with a small molecule addition. People who eat wild yams will gain some of progesterone's benefits.

Progesterone is not just vital to a successful pregnancy. It's also a precursor of other hormones, and it has important intrinsic biological properties, some of which involve opposing the actions of estrogen. In addition to its benefits to bone, postmenopausal hot flashes are improved. Progesterone can also be used in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome, uterine fibroids, urinary tract infections, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and fibrocystic breasts, all of which are aggravated by estrogen.