Warning: Investment banking is bad for your health Thinking of a career as an investment banker? Get ready for insomnia, alcoholism, heart palpitations, eating disorders and an explosive temper. A University of Southern California researcher has found these health issues are part and parcel of the lives of entry-level investment bankers that she shadowed as they started their new careers fresh out of business school, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Each individual she observed over a decade developed a stress-related physical or emotional ailment within several years on the job, the Journal reported. The study is due to be published this month in the next issue of the Administrative Science Quarterly. Alexandra Michel, an assistant management professor at USC's Marshall School of Business, began shadowing Wall Street bankers a decade ago, sitting next to them at the office, following them to meetings, mirroring their hours and even staying up all night when the bankers pulled all-nighters. During their first two years, the bankers worked on average 80 to 120 hours a week, but remained eager and energetic. However, by the fourth year they were a mess, according to the study -- sleep-deprived, or suffering from substance addictions or long-term physical ailments, such as Crohn's disease. The Journal described how one vice president described work as "a never-ending nightmare," while another was worried others might notice his drinking problem. The life of a junior investment banker is notoriously demanding, with long hours in a high-stress environment. The profession attracts ambitious business school graduates who are attracted by high salaries. However, the Journal notes that Wall Street stars sign up for the punishing hours with their eyes open. The newspaper also add that "the study's small size and the lack of a control group raise questions about how closely the findings apply to the broader population of roughly 267,000 would-be masters of the universe."