Benefits in Wild Yam Root Extraction: Diosgenin
Diosgenin is extracted from the roots of Wild Yams, and is considered a steroidal saponin. Studies have shown that diosgenin has tremendous medical applications. Because it is an herbal extract, it appears that there are no severe adverse effects. In recent studies and research, it has been found that Wild Yam has a major medicinal component that is very helpful in minimizing the symptoms of women in menopause. Diosgenin is available over the counter and sold unregulated at a variety of pharmacy and health food stores.
There are many other medical benefits that are found in Dioscorea root where diosgenin derives from. Included in those benefits are anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, hypocholesterolemic, and estrogenic effects. Dioscorea is antispasmodic, and has been found that it could be helpful for the relief of nausea and morning sickness for pregnant women, spasmodic hiccough and asthma. It has been discovered that most women experience a lack of progesterone rather than a lack of estrogen. Natural progesterone supplements are used to balance estrogen. Natural progesterone has a structure similar to that of human progesterone and is made form plant fats; one of such fats is diosgenin.
Wild Yam is rich in diosgenin, so it became the most popular source of natural progesterone.
Diosgenin found in Wild Yam is a phytoestrogen, and it is very similar in structure to human progesterone. Due to this close similarity, the body reacts to it as if it were natural progesterone. Because they are not the same as human hormones, phytoestrogens are far less potent which results in slower effects, but safer use with fewer side effects. Phytoestrogens do come with any side effects. Unlike estrogen which, when in excess, can be associated with endometrial cancer, phytoestrogens have been found to not evoke cell growth, which is thought to be the causing factor for the increased risks associated with bioidentical hormone replacements causing cancer. Bioidentical replacements don't actually cause cancer; they just increase the risks, especially in women who have previously had cancer, because it induces certain cell growths that can be linked to cancer.
Sources:
Dec. 9, 2005.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Dec. 9, 2005. mdidea.com.
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text provided by megan
