But even though nerves are not cut as they often are in the case of surgery, all is not well at the sex front for those on Proscar. Since the beginning of the nineties, when in the US, restrictions on the promotion and sales of herbal medications were lifted, saw palmetto and, to a lesser extent, the other two herbals have been touted as a cheaper and healthier alternative to Proscar that works just as well. The best studied among the three herbals is saw palmetto. There is no doubt that saw palmetto works. Unfortunately, saw palmetto is comparable to Proscar in another aspect.
Personal experience suggests that saw palmetto also interferes with erectile functions.
There will just be less sensation in the male organ, comparable to what happens to the sensation of one's legs if one sits for a long time. Pygeum africanum and nettle root are less studied. While both will also result in making passing urine easier for men with enlarged prostates, most probably by effecting a reduction of the size of the gland, the mechanism by which this happens is not precisely known. The endocrine system works via receptor sites. Phytoestrogens, for example, often have effects on women, which usually would be attributed to testosterone, the quintessential anti-estrogen.