Earlier this month, a WHO group declared that aspartame, a synthetic sweetener found in everything from breath mints to diet sodas, is a possible carcinogenic. While more data is needed to confirm the link, there is research showing that artificial sweeteners are not, as we thought, "metabolically inert" and do actually impact our gut health which can impact our overall health. In this episode from the archives, Hopkins microbiologist Dr. Jotham Suez talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the complexities of our microbiomes, why taking probiotics may not "reset" our systems after antibiotics, and how artificial sweeteners can cause imbalances that upset the trillions of microorganisms that keep us healthy. (This episode was originally released on September 1, 2021.) Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/the-microbiome-and-your-health