Drug & supplement interaction

Wild Yam + Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel

Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel brand name: Lybrel.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Wild Yam has a moderate interaction with Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel. Theoretically, wild yam might increase or decrease the effects of estrogen.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Facebook Post Reddit Email
On this page
Interaction report

Wild Yam and Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ESTROGENS

Why this applies to Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel

Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel falls under ESTROGENS — the group Wild Yam interacts with.

Theoretically, wild yam might increase or decrease the effects of estrogen.
Wild yam root shows estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects in vitro. Theoretically, wild yam might interfere with hormone therapy.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Lybrel combines two hormones, ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel, and you're taking them for steady, reliable birth control and cycle control. The concern with wild yam is purely theoretical. In lab dishes, wild yam has shown both estrogen-like and estrogen-blocking activity, so on paper it might nudge your hormone levels either up or down. There is no good human evidence showing this actually happens in your body.

Because the direction could go either way, I can't promise it would weaken or strengthen your pill. If it tipped things, you might notice breakthrough bleeding, spotting, or in theory less dependable protection. That uncertainty alone is reason enough to check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding wild yam, rather than guessing.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Eagon PK, Elm MS, Hunter DS, et al. Medicinal herbs: modulation of estrogen action. Era of Hope Mtg, Dept Defense; Breast Cancer Res Prog, Atlanta, GA 2000;Jun 8-11.
  2. Rosenberg Zand, R. S., Jenkins, D. J., and Diamandis, E. P. Effects of natural products and nutraceuticals on steroid hormone-regulated gene expression. Clin Chim.Acta 2001;312(1-2):213-219. PubMed
  3. Zeng M, Zhang L, Li M, et al. Estrogenic effects of the extracts from the Chinese Yam (Dioscorea opposite Thunb.) and its effective compounds in vitro and in vivo. Molecules. 2018 Jan 23;23(2). Pii: E11. PubMed
  4. Lu J, Wong RN, Zhang L, et al. Comparative analysis of proteins with stimulating activity on ovarian estradiol biosynthesis from four different Dioscorea species in vitro using both phenotypic and target-based approaches: implication for treating menopaus

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Wild Yam Also Interacts With Other Medications

Wild Yam has 40 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 40 No known interaction 2,790 (incl. Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Wild Yam

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Wild Yam. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel

This page covers Wild Yam only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 195 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel page

“A daily birth control pill like Lybrel (ethinyl estradiol with levonorgestrel) only works when enough hormone stays in the bloodstream, and that is exactly what several supplements on this page can undermine. This list deserves genuine care, starting with the six major-rated entries.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Wild Yam as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,014 real supplement products containing Wild Yam, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wild Yam. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel too, on top of Wild Yam — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Wild Yam and Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Wild Yam
Top 25%

#204 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel
Top 25%

#447 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Wild Yam

What is Wild Yam?

  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Menstrual cramps
  • Hormone balance (popular belief)
  • Digestive cramps
  • Joint and muscle discomfort

Wild yam is a root traditionally used for menopausal symptoms, cramps, and as a so-called 'natural' hormone supplement, but solid human evidence for these uses is lacking. Despite popular claims, your body cannot convert its compounds into hormones like progesterone, so creams marketed that way usually don't work as advertised. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

Read the full Wild Yam monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wild Yam

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Wild Yam — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
40Moderate
0Minor
2,789No known interaction
40 Moderate 2,789 No interaction
Moderate

40 interactions

No interaction 2,789 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Wild Yam against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,789 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Wild Yam list.

See the full Wild Yam interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Wild Yam monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Wild Yam and Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel Together: Common Questions

Can you take Wild Yam with Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Wild Yam and Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Ethinyl estradiol, Levonogestrel and Wild Yam?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.