C-Health/LifeMD - Andropause If testosterone levels are normal, and a man is experiencing signs of andropause, the hormonal culprit is usually estrogen, the female hormone. Both men and women must have a specific ratio of testosterone to estrogen. Young men may have a ratio of testosterone to estrogen of 50:1. The ratio drops to 20:1 or even as low as 8:1 with normal aging. When estrogen levels in a man increase, the effects of testosterone are negated. While estrogens in women protect them from heart disease and osteoporosis, the effects are the opposite for men. Too much estrogen will actually increase the risk of heart attacks in men.