Full Spectrum Wild Yam 400mg | 60 capsules | Swanson

Wild Yam by Swanson

These Swanson capsules contain wild yam, made from the root of the wild yam plant (Dioscorea villosa). Each capsule delivers 400 milligrams of ground root, in its full form without any specific substance being isolated. Wild yam has long been used in herbal traditions, originally by indigenous peoples in North America. Take one capsule, one to two times daily.

What wild yam is

Wild yam is the root of a climbing plant found in North America, Latin America, and parts of Asia. The plant belongs to the genus Dioscorea, with Dioscorea villosa being the species here. This product uses the entire root, finely ground and encapsulated. The "full spectrum" designation means that the entire root is used, not just an isolated component. As a result, the capsule contains the natural interplay of substances as found in the root itself. It is a classic herb that you will find in capsule form from many brands.

Diosgenin, the best-known substance

The substance wild yam is most known for is diosgenin. This is a saponin, a plant compound found in many plants. In laboratories, diosgenin is used as a raw material, including in the production of certain substances. Important to know: your body does not convert diosgenin from wild yam into hormones itself. That is a persistent misconception. In the plant, the substance is simply a natural component of the root. Swanson uses the whole root here, not an isolated diosgenin extract.

What full spectrum means

With herbs, you often see a choice: use the whole plant, or extract and concentrate one substance. Full spectrum refers to the former. The root is dried, ground, and processed as a whole. The advantage of this is simplicity: you get the root as it is naturally, without processing that alters the ratio of substances. A concentrated extract, on the other hand, delivers more of a specific substance per capsule. Which form you choose depends on what you are looking for. This one from Swanson is the full-root variant with 400 milligrams per capsule.

Where wild yam comes from

Wild yam has a long history. Indigenous peoples in North America traditionally used the root, and later the herb became known elsewhere. Today, it is cultivated and harvested on various continents. In supplements, it usually appears as ground root or as an extract. Due to EU regulations, we cannot elaborate on what wild yam would do in your body, but we can describe what it is: the complete, ground root of Dioscorea villosa, in a gelatin capsule.

Wild yam by Swanson is a simple, full-root variant: 400 milligrams of ground Dioscorea villosa per capsule, without isolation or concentration. A bottle of 60 capsules will last approximately one to two months with daily use, depending on how often you take it.