Modern Metabolic Health with Dr. Lindsay Ogle, MD
Join Dr. Lindsay Ogle, a board certified family medicine and obesity medicine physician, as she explores evidence-based strategies and practical tips to prevent and treat weight and metabolic conditions. Dr. Ogle provides insights on managing diabetes, PMOS, metabolic syndrome, obesity and related conditions through lifestyle optimization, safe medications and personalized care.
Modern Metabolic Health with Dr. Lindsay Ogle, MD
Plenity, A Weight Loss Device
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A weight loss capsule that isn’t a drug sounds like a gimmick until you understand what Plenity actually is: an FDA-cleared medical device that you swallow, hydrate with water, and then pass through your system without absorbing it. We walk through how Plenity uses cellulose and citric acid to form a gel-like material that takes up space in your stomach so you feel full sooner and naturally stop eating earlier. If you’re looking for a practical tool for portion control, appetite support at meals, and a stepwise approach to metabolic health, this option deserves a closer look.
We also get specific about who Plenity is for and why it fills a unique gap in obesity medicine. Plenity is cleared starting at BMI 25, which may matter if you’re in the BMI 25 to 26.9 range and feel stuck because you do not meet the usual prescribing thresholds for many anti-obesity medications. We talk realistic expectations for weight loss, including the typical average around 6% total body weight loss over about six months and why people who notice early benefits often have the strongest results.
From side effects like bloating and feeling overly full to important cautions around pregnancy, GI tract concerns, prior GI surgery, and GERD, we lay out the safety considerations in plain language. We also cover a key practical point: Plenity may affect absorption of other medications, so timing matters. Finally, we discuss cost and access since insurance coverage is unlikely, plus lower-cost alternatives like psyllium fiber (Metamucil) or chia seeds that can mimic the same “space-filling” strategy.
If this helped you think more clearly about Plenity, share the episode with someone who’s navigating weight loss and metabolic health, then subscribe and leave a review so more people can find trustworthy guidance.
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Welcome And Medical Disclaimer
Dr. Lindsay OgleWelcome to the Modern Metabolic Health Podcast with your host, Dr. Lindsay Ogle, Board Certified Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine Physician. Here we learn how we can treat and prevent modern metabolic conditions such as diabetes, PCOS, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, and more. We focus on optimizing lifestyle while utilizing safe and effective medical treatments. Please remember that while I am a physician, I am not your physician. Everything discussed here is provided as general medical knowledge and not direct medical advice. Please talk to your doctor about what is best for you.
Plenity Compared With GLP1s Surgery
Dr. Lindsay OgleIf you are living with overweight, obesity, or a metabolic health condition, then you by now have heard of GLP1 medications like Setbound, Weikovi, Manjaro, or Ozempic. And you've also heard about metabolic and bariatric surgeries like gastric sleeve or bypass. But have you heard of the medical device Plenity? We're gonna talk about that today. I want to talk about Plenity because this is a unique treatment option. And Plenity is, like I said, not technically a medication, although it is capsules that you take twice a day, but it's considered a medical device because you don't actually absorb what's in the capsules, it goes through your body so it does not get absorbed, so it's not technically a medication, but it can be effective for some people in um you know their weight management goals. So we'll talk about how it works. But Plenity was FDA approved for the treatment of overweight and obesity in 2019, and you may not have heard about it because it it has more of a modest impact on weight management, especially compared to our GLP1 medications, and we usually see about a 6% total body weight loss in about six months on this treatment option, but for some people that might be enough to reach their goals or might be a good adjunct to their current treatment.
Plenity Is Back On Market
Dr. Lindsay OgleUm, you may also not have heard about it because it was temporarily taken from the market, not because of any safety issues, but because of just business concerns, and the company that creates it decided to file for bankruptcy in 2023. But Plenity is back as of 2026. It was actually somebody on YouTube who was listening to a video that I did about this um treatment option being discontinued. They actually left a comment and said, Hey, it's available now. And so um I thought I would do an updated um talk about Plenity to see um who might have tried it in the past. I'd love to hear your experience and just to make people aware that this is an option that is available.
Who Qualifies BMI 25 Plus
Dr. Lindsay OgleAnother unique thing about Plenity is that it is FDA approved for a BMI of 25 or greater, whereas our other obesity management medications are approved for a BMI of 27 or greater with a weight-related condition or 30 or greater. And so those individuals who have a BMI of 25 to 26.9 qualify for plenity.
How Plenity Works In The Stomach
Dr. Lindsay OgleSo, how does it work? Like I said, there are capsules that you swallow and you would take three at a time with two glasses of water or about 16 ounces of water about 20 to 30 minutes prior to your meals. So you take the three capsules, have a glass or two of water, wait about 20 or 30 minutes, and then have your meal. What plenity actually is inside the capsule, there is cellulose, which is a plant fiber, and citric acid. And as the plenity device capsules enter your stomach and are absorbed by the water, they will expand and become kind of like a gelatinous material and take up space in the stomach. So then when you do eat and introduce food also into the stomach, it will fill up more space and you'll feel full on less food. So you'll start to stretch your stomach at an earlier point in your meal, and those stretch receptors will signal to the brain that we've had enough, that we're full, satisfied, and then you will be prompted to stop eating earlier again to help with portion control. After the meal, as you're digesting your food, the plenity products will go through your intestine and be excreted. So, again, you don't absorb this treatment. Um, it kind of goes through you and supports your goal of portion control during meals.
Results And Who Responds Best
Dr. Lindsay OgleAs I mentioned earlier, on average people lose about 6% of their total body weight on Plenid. But there are people who lose 10% or more. About 27% of individuals in the study for Plenid lost 10% or more of their body weight. And what was interesting was individuals who responded very quickly to the medication so noticed improvements right away were the ones who ultimately had the best results in this study. So it could be something that you could try for a period of time, and if you're seeing benefits could continue, and if you're not, then probably time to move on to a more effective treatment for you.
Side Effects Safety And Interactions
Dr. Lindsay OgleAs far as side effects go, plenity is fairly well tolerated, and the reported side effects were very similar to what individuals who were taking the placebo reported, but may include bloating, gassiness, and just that feeling of being overly full, like after a Thanksgiving meal, as well as changes in bowel movements. As with all of our weight management options, it is not recommended to use plenity during pregnancy. You also should avoid this treatment option if you have any abnormalities in your GI tract. If you had surgeries before in your GI tract, definitely talk to your doctor before taking this treatment. And if you struggle with acid reflux and GERD, then it's probably not the best treatment option for you. Or again, at least work very closely with your healthcare provider when starting this treatment. Last, plenity may affect the absorption of other medications. So talking with your healthcare provider about the timing of taking your other medications and taking plenity would be beneficial to make sure that you are treated appropriately.
Cost Insurance And Where To Buy
Dr. Lindsay OglePlenity is not covered by insurance or is not likely to be covered by insurance. You can get this through triplenity.com and you can get it for about $80, $90, $100 a month depending on how much product you buy at one time. So that's something to be aware of. You can use FSA or HSA cards, but the cost may be a limiting
Lower Cost Alternatives Like Fiber
Dr. Lindsay Oglefactor. If you are looking for a similar treatment management option at a lower cost, then I recommend maybe starting with something similar that would have a similar effect. And that may be metamucle or a fiber supplement that you take prior to your meals because it will do a similar thing. So it'll expand in your stomach, and again, you definitely want to take with lots of water, but that can help to fill up your stomach and help with portion control. So some people utilize um psilium husk and metabucle prior to meals. You could also maybe do something like chia seeds prior to meals. Again, they expand in the stomach, take up space. That might be a more cost-effective option if you want to try this treatment method first, and then if you're seeing that benefit but not quite to the goal that you are looking for, then maybe you could try plenity at that time. But of course, you know, always talking to your doctor about what might be best for
Combining Tools And Listener Questions
Dr. Lindsay Ogleyou. And last, um, you know, taking this approach of filling up space in your stomach and combining it with a medication that can help with appetite and food noise and cravings, um, along with working with a um a counselor, a coach, a dietitian, that kind of like trifecta can be very successful, especially if you are someone who does not have coverage for a GLP1 medication. So, what are your thoughts? Is plenity something that you've tried before? You know someone who's tried before that you're considering? Um, did you even know that it was an option available? Are you going to maybe try the fiber supplement or chia seed before meals first before trying Plenid? I'd love to hear it. Please share in the comments below and let me know if there is any specific treatment option that you want me to talk about further. Have a great day and we'll talk next week.
Share Subscribe Review And Closing
Dr. Lindsay OgleThank you for listening and loving how you can improve your metabolic health in this modern world. If you found this information helpful, please share with a friend, family member, or colleague. We need to do all we can to combat the dangerous misinformation that is out there. Please subscribe and write a review. This will help others find the podcast and they may also improve their metabolic health. I look forward to our conversation next week.