Ingredient profile
Wild Yam in Vapofil: 20 mg and a Common Hormone Myth
Vapofil lists 20 mg of wild yam root extract per 2-capsule serving. Wild yam contains diosgenin, which chemists use in the lab as a raw material for making progesterone. MSK says there is no evidence the human body can make that conversion. Research on wild yam is limited and mostly about menopause, not men, and one species harmed kidneys in animal studies.
Written by the Vapofil editorial teamUpdated
The plant
What is wild yam root?
Wild yam is a plant whose root is used in herbal products. Its best-known compound is diosgenin. Most interest in wild yam comes from that one compound and its link to hormone chemistry.
The Vapofil label lists "Wild Yam Root Extract, 20 mg" and names the plant part, as federal rules ask (21 CFR 101.36, Supplement labels). It does not print a Latin name. The safety facts below come from MSK's wild yam profile, which discusses the species Dioscorea villosa (MSKCC, Wild yam). The header image is cropped from the brand's ingredient graphic.
| Label name | Wild Yam Root Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Dioscorea villosa root extract, a source of diosgenin |
| Type | Root extract |
| Position on the label | Line 2 of 7 |
| Amount per serving | 20 mg per serving |
| What research shows | Diosgenin is a lab raw material for hormones, but there is no evidence the body can turn it into hormones |
| Strength of evidence | No evidence in men |
| Why it is in the formula (brand view) | Listed by the sales page among its men's ingredients |
| Main caution | Caused kidney injury in animal studies of this species. Ask first with a hormone-sensitive condition. |
On the label
Where does wild yam sit on the Vapofil label?
Second of seven, at 20 mg. Tap the numbers to read each line, including the wild yam note.
- Serving size
2 capsules per serving, 30 servings per bottle. At the labeled 2 a day, one bottle of 60 lasts 30 days.
- Saw palmetto, 20 mg
Prostate trials used 320 mg a day, 16 times more, and still found little to no benefit.
- Wild yam, 20 mg
Its diosgenin is a lab raw material for hormones. The body cannot turn it into hormones.
- Sarsaparilla, 20 mg
Traditional use is grams a day. No controlled human trials support its proposed uses.
- Nettle leaf, 20 mg
Prostate research used nettle root, not leaf, at 300 to 600 mg a day.
- Boron chelate 5%, 20 mg
5% of 20 mg is about 1 mg of boron, near what food gives you. The adult upper limit is 20 mg.
- Tongkat ali, 10 mg (100:1)
"Equivalent to 1000mg" describes the raw root used to make it. Trials gave 100 to 600 mg of extract.
- Horny goat weed, 8 mg (10:1)
Made from about 80 mg of herb. The evidence is mostly from lab and animal studies.
- Other ingredients
Microcrystalline cellulose, gelatin and magnesium stearate. Gelatin comes from animals: not vegetarian.
- FDA statement
Not evaluated by the FDA. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
- FDA registered facility
Registration lists a facility with the FDA. It is not an approval of the product.
Wild yam is one of five ingredients at 20 mg each. Together they make up most of the 118 mg of listed actives in a day's two capsules. Every line is written out in full on the Supplement Facts page.
The hormone question
Does wild yam turn into hormones in the body?
No evidence shows that it does. Diosgenin has been used as a starting material for making synthetic progesterone in a lab. But MSK states plainly that "there is no evidence that the human body can convert diosgenin into progesterone" (MSKCC, Wild yam).
A lab can use diosgenin to make a hormone. That does not mean your body can. Swallowing a raw material is not the same as running the lab process, and any product that suggests otherwise goes beyond the evidence.
The sales page lists wild yam among its men's ingredients and makes hormone claims we do not repeat. We check them on the sales claims page.
The research
What does research show about wild yam?
Very little, and almost none of it in men.
MSK says evidence for menopausal symptoms is limited and mixed, and that larger human studies are needed (MSKCC, Wild yam). We found no trial of wild yam for men's sexual health or testosterone. No study has tested the 20 mg in Vapofil.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Amount in Vapofil | 20 mg of root extract per 2 capsules |
| Extract strength or diosgenin content | Not published |
| Studied dose for men | None found |
| Main research topic | Menopausal symptoms; limited and mixed results |
| Hormone conversion in people | No evidence the body converts diosgenin to progesterone |
| Main safety signal | Kidney injury in animal studies of D. villosa |
Safety
Is wild yam safe to take?
Human safety data are thin. MSK reports that the Dioscorea villosa species caused chronic kidney injury in animal studies. It also advises caution for people with hormone-sensitive cancers (MSKCC, Wild yam).
- Kidney disease: ask your doctor before any product with wild yam.
- A hormone-sensitive cancer, now or in the past: ask your cancer team first.
- Daily prescriptions: bring the whole Vapofil label to your pharmacist.
At 20 mg a day, exposure is small. That is not the same as proven safe, since no one has tested it. The full list of cautions for the formula is on the side effects page.
A better first step
What should you do before trying a wild yam supplement?
Name the real concern
Low sex drive, low energy and erection problems all have medical causes worth checking. The urology guideline calls ED a risk marker for heart and blood vessel disease (AUA, ED guideline).
Get tested, not guessed
Low testosterone is confirmed with two early-morning blood tests plus symptoms, the AUA says (AUA, Testosterone deficiency guideline).
Show the label
A doctor will ask about supplements you take (NIDDK, ED diagnosis). Bring the bottle so every ingredient is on the table.
Fair verdict
Is the wild yam in Vapofil worth anything?
In its favor
- The plant part and amount are printed.
- A small daily amount, 20 mg.
Against it
- No evidence the body turns its diosgenin into hormones.
- No studies in men, and a kidney signal in animals.
Compare it with the other six in the ingredient overview.
FAQ
Wild yam questions
What is wild yam root extract?
It is a concentrate made from the root of the wild yam plant, whose main compound is diosgenin. Vapofil lists 20 mg per 2-capsule serving. The label does not state the extract strength or how much diosgenin the extract contains.
Does wild yam increase progesterone or testosterone?
There is no evidence that it does. Diosgenin is used in labs as a raw material for making synthetic progesterone, but MSK says there is no evidence the human body can make that conversion. We found no trials of wild yam on testosterone in men.
What is diosgenin?
Diosgenin is the main plant compound in wild yam. Chemists have used it as a starting material to make synthetic progesterone in the lab. Eating or swallowing it is a different matter, since the body has not been shown to perform that conversion.
Is wild yam bad for your kidneys?
It may be a concern. MSK reports that the Dioscorea villosa species caused chronic kidney injury in animal studies. Human data are lacking, so anyone with kidney disease should ask a doctor before taking Vapofil or any wild yam product.
Has wild yam been studied in men?
Not in any trial we could find. MSK describes the research as limited and mixed, and most of it concerns menopausal symptoms in women. No study has tested the 20 mg of wild yam root extract in Vapofil, alone or in the full formula.
Why is wild yam in a men’s supplement?
The label does not say why. The sales page lists wild yam among its ingredients for men and pairs it with hormone claims we do not repeat. The research behind wild yam is limited and mostly concerns menopausal symptoms, not men.
Can women take wild yam?
Vapofil is marketed to men, and its label tells pregnant or nursing mothers to consult a physician first. MSK says evidence for wild yam in menopause is limited and mixed and advises caution with hormone-sensitive cancers. A doctor is the right person to ask.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Last updated . Our editorial standards explain how we check reviews. This website is run by Vapofildaily, a U.S. stocking partner for Vapofil, not by the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. Purchases through our order links earn us a commission.
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Sales claims checked
Every hormone, sexual, prostate and safety claim on the Vapofil sales page, in plain words, beside the evidence and the legal rule.
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Side effects
What the research reports for each Vapofil ingredient, which medicines to watch and when to get help.
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