We know that wild yam creams containing diosgenin appear to have a ‘estrogenic’ effect on the body, but there is no scientific proof that these creams when applied to the skin (or ingested in tablet or powder form) can be converted by the body into the hormone progesterone.

Why is this so? Well, because the active ingredient [diosgenin] is not bio-identical to the progesterone molecule found in the body, hence these wild yam extract creams cannot do the work of progesterone.

As stated above, bio-identical, natural-to-the-body progesterone is manufactured from diosgenin in a laboratory with the aid of an enzyme.

If you know anything about progesterone you know about the long-running confusion about taking yam cream instead of progesterone. Many have believed that it is a good substitute, but nothing could be further from the truth as yam simply does not convert in the body to progesterone as studies have shown.

However the confusion seems to arise over the procedure used to make bioidentical natural progesterone. The procedure to extract the active ingredients in the Wild Yam extract, which is synthesized with the aid of an enzyme, thus turning it into a hormone. Unlike synthetic estrogen and progestin, synthetic natural progesterone is not a drug and it does not have any side effects associated with it. You can use this product knowing that it is safe.

Scientific studies have shown time and time again that for any natural progesterone cream to really be effective and increase the progesterone levels in your blood stream, there are two important factors. Firstly, a truly effective cream must contain synthetic natural progesterone, not wild yam extract. Secondly, a truly effective cream must contain a minimum of 400mg of natural progesterone per ounce.

This confusion seems to have easily arisen because the synthetic natural progesterone is actually made from the Wild Mexican Yam plant extract. Ah ha! I hear you say. So that is why it is so easy to be confused.