Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 2 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Wild Yam Root Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Swanson

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Wild Yam Root is a dietary supplement by Swanson with 2 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for menopausal symptoms, menstrual cramps, hormone balance (popular belief).Based on those ingredients, 41 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Wild Yam. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Wild Yam Root by Swanson

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 2 of its 2 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains 2 active ingredients: wild yam and wild yam root extract. These are different forms of the same plant material, both included to provide the herb's traditional constituents.

The other ingredients — rice flour and gelatin — are inactive fillers and the capsule material.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

We hold no graded evidence for this product's ingredients for its stated purpose.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Total wellness for mind, body and home.
  • Our graded evidence for these ingredients doesn't cover that particular purpose.

The evidence for wild yam is limited. For menopausal symptoms, it's rated possibly ineffective — meaning the data doesn't support it working for that use.

For gallbladder disease, sexual dysfunction, painful periods (dysmenorrhea), and infertility, there isn't enough reliable evidence to say whether it works or doesn't. If you're considering this for one of those uses, the science doesn't back it up yet.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Wild Yam

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Wild yam is generally well tolerated when taken by mouth in the short term. The most common side effects are fever, headache, upset stomach, and vomiting — especially at higher doses.

In rare cases, anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) has been reported. Long-term safety hasn't been well studied, so we don't know what happens with prolonged use.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, there isn't enough safety data, so the guidance is to avoid it. If you're pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Wild Yam

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Wild Yam.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • For scale: 41 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

If you take any estrogen-based medications — birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, or other estrogen products — check your specific medication using the search tool on this page before starting Wild Yam Root. This is a Moderate-severity interaction, and wild yam could increase or decrease how your estrogen works.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Wild Yam Root by Swanson may appeal to people interested in traditional herbal use, but the evidence for its effectiveness is thin. The main caution is if you take estrogen-based medications — check your specific drug first.

Avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For short-term use in otherwise healthy adults, it's generally tolerated, but talk with your pharmacist before starting, especially if you're on any medications.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 2 of 2 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Feb 22, 2024.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Wild Yam Root, straight from the product label.

Brand Swanson
Barcode (UPC) 087614141527
Net contents 100 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Feb 22, 2024
DSLD ID 308819
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult Female (18 - 50 Years), Menopause, Seniors/Mature (>50 Years) - Women ONLY
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Wild Yam Root by Swanson, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
2 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Capsule(s)
Servings per container
50
UPC/BARCODE
087614141527
IngredientAmount% DV
Wild Yam190 mg--
Wild Yam Root Extract810 mg--

Other ingredients: Rice Flour, Gelatin

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formulation

Total wellness for mind, body & home Unsurpassed purity & potency 100% money back guaranteed

Menopause support

Brand IP Statement(s)

Swanson Science-backed quality since 1969

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested use: As a dietary supplement, take two capsules per day with water or as recommended by your healthcare provider.

Precautions

Warning: For adults only. Keep out of reach of children.

Consult your healthcare provider before using this or any product if you are pregnant or nursing, taking medication or have a medical condition.

Do not use if seal is broken.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Formula

Wild Yam Root & extract

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Supplement

See for yourself

Wild Yam Root by Swanson label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Wild Yam Root by Swanson

These are the 2 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size2 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container50 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Wild Yam

Interacts with
41 drugs
190 mg per serving

Wild yam is a root traditionally used for menopausal symptoms, cramps, and as a so-called 'natural' hormone supplement, but solid human evidence for t...

Wild Yam monograph & interactions

Wild Yam Root Extract

Interacts with
41 drugs
810 mg per serving Form: Diosgenin

Wild yam is a root traditionally used for menopausal symptoms, cramps, and as a so-called 'natural' hormone supplement, but solid human evidence for t...

Wild Yam Root Extract monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Rice Flour, Gelatin. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Wild Yam Root by Swanson Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Wild Yam Root?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
41Drugs
41 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Wild Yam Root with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Wild Yam1 drug type · 41 drugs

Estrogens

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.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Wild Yam Root, from the product label.

Swanson

See all Swanson products
Name
Swanson Health Products
City
Fargo
State
ND
ZipCode
58104
Phone Number
1-800-437-4148
Web Address
swanson.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Wild Yam Root by Swanson: Common Questions

Does Wild Yam Root by Swanson interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Wild Yam Root has a known interaction with 41 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Wild Yam Root contains 2 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Is wild yam safe to take if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
No. There isn't enough safety data for wild yam during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so the guidance is to avoid it if you're pregnant, nursing, or planning to conceive. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether this is right for you.
Does wild yam actually help with hot flashes and menopausal symptoms?
The evidence suggests it doesn't work for menopausal symptoms — it's rated possibly ineffective. If you're dealing with menopause, you'll want to explore options with stronger evidence backing.
What are the most common side effects I might experience?
Fever, headache, upset stomach, and vomiting are the most commonly reported side effects, and headache and fever can be worse at higher doses. These are generally mild, but they do happen.
Is this product safe for long-term use?
Likely fine for short-term use in healthy adults, but long-term safety hasn't been well studied. If you're thinking of taking it regularly over months or years, talk with your pharmacist first.
Does wild yam work for gallbladder problems, painful periods, or infertility?
There isn't enough reliable evidence to say whether it works for any of those uses. The research is too limited to make a claim either way.

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

Not sure if Wild Yam Root is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Wild Yam Root label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Wild Yam Root's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

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

The 7 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Wild Yam 7 references
  1. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
  2. 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.
  3. Cheong JL, Bucknall R. Retinal vein thrombosis associated with a herbal phytoestrogen preparation in a susceptible patient. Postgrad Med J 2005;81:266-7.. PubMed
  4. 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
  5. Araghiniknam M, Chung S, Nelson-White T, and et al. Antioxidant activity of Dioscorea and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in older humans. Life Sciences 1996;59:L147-L157.
  6. 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
  7. 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

See these in context on the Wild Yam monograph →

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

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