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Why sticking with years of dealmakers’ 100-hour weeks leads to infertility, depression and heart disease

Dr Alexandra Michel’s research shows that dealmakers work extreme hours because of client demands and a feeling they can be supplanted if they switch off, or easily fired if performance dips

Some dealmakers in Michel’s 2012 research developed issues after four years of working 80-hour-plus weeks including premature balding, weight gain, substance addictions, and allergies
Some dealmakers in Michel’s 2012 research developed issues after four years of working 80-hour-plus weeks including premature balding, weight gain, substance addictions, and allergies Photo: Michael Nagle/Getty Images

Junior investment bankers have rebelled against 100-hour weeks over the past year, with brutal hours leading to a burnout crisis and analysts quitting in droves.

But what happens if you stick with investment banking longer term? The answer, according to one extensive study, is that it’s very hazardous to your health.

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