Home Ingredients AfperFIT™ (Grains of Paradise Extract — Vidya Herbs)
Weight Management

AfperFIT™ (Grains of Paradise Extract — Vidya Herbs)

Aframomum melegueta
Evidence Level
Limited
1 Clinical Trial
2 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

AfperFIT is a grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) seed extract made by Vidya Herbs by supercritical CO2 extraction and standardized to not less than 2 percent 6-paradol. Its own randomized, double-blind trial gave 70 overweight adults 250 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. Compared with placebo, energy expenditure rose and visceral fat and body weight fell, but total fat mass and body-fat percentage did not differ from placebo, lean mass fell, the typical (median) weight loss was much smaller than the average, and 10 people were lost to follow-up. Two of the four authors work for Vidya Herbs, and no independent group has repeated the trial. Small Japanese studies of a different grains of paradise extract measured similar metabolic readings, while an 8-week trial of another branded extract found no difference from placebo.

Studied Dose Published AfperFIT trial: 250 mg twice daily (500 mg a day, providing 10 mg of 6-paradol) for 12 weeks.
Active Compound Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) seed extract standardized to 6-paradol. AfperFIT is a supercritical CO2 extract from Vidya Herbs containing not less than 2 percent 6-paradol, with 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol also present; each 250 mg trial capsule held 5 mg of 6-paradol.

Benefits

Energy expenditure and thermogenesis

In the 70-person AfperFIT trial, energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry rose by an average of about 209 kcal a day over 12 weeks, against almost no change on placebo (p<0.01). It was measured only at the start and end, and the authors did not measure fat burning (substrate oxidation). Smaller studies of other extracts linked the rise to active brown fat.

Supported by Trial 1

Visceral fat and body weight

In the AfperFIT trial, visceral fat area on CT fell by about 17 square centimeters while it rose on placebo (p<0.001), and average weight loss was 4.1 kg against 0.8 kg (median 1.6 against 0.4 kg). Total fat mass and body-fat percentage did not differ from placebo, and lean mass fell. This is one trial with maker-employed authors, not yet repeated.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Brown adipose tissue activation

6-Paradol and related compounds activate the TRPV1 heat-sensing channel in lab studies, and studies in people with active brown fat link grains of paradise to brown fat heat production. One rat study found the extract lowered sympathetic nerve activity to brown fat, so the exact pathway is unsettled. The AfperFIT trial did not measure brown fat.

2

Browning of white fat in mice

The maker's earlier mouse study, described in the AfperFIT trial report, found the extract induced beige (heat-producing) fat cells in obese mice fed a high-fat diet. This is animal work and has not been shown in people.

Clinical trials

1
Branded 6-Paradol Extract (AfperFIT) in Overweight Adults: 12-Week RCT
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of AfperFIT, a grains of paradise extract standardized to not less than 2 percent 6-paradol (5 mg per 250 mg capsule), 250 mg twice daily for 12 weeks, with energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry, body composition by DXA and fat distribution by CT; registered as CTRI/2019/03/017956. Two of the four authors, including the corresponding author, are employed by Vidya Herbs, which makes AfperFIT; the paper has no funding statement (Sudeep et al. 2022, Drug Des Devel Ther).

70 overweight men and women, BMI 25 to 30, aged 20 to 50; 10 were lost to follow-up and their data carried forward.

Compared with placebo, energy expenditure rose (about 209 kcal a day against almost no change, p<0.01) and visceral-fat area fell (p<0.001). Mean body weight fell 4.07 kg against 0.81 kg (p=0.009), but the medians were 1.6 against 0.4 kg because a few people lost a lot (up to 21.1 kg). DXA fat mass and body-fat percentage did not differ from placebo, and lean mass fell with the extract (p=0.002). No serious adverse events were recorded. Not independently repeated.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

The AfperFIT trial reported no serious adverse events over 12 weeks, and liver and kidney tests stayed in the normal range; it is the only safety data for this extract.
Lean mass fell more with AfperFIT than with placebo in that trial; the authors suggested exercise to help preserve it.
The FDA lists grains of paradise as a spice generally recognized as safe, but that covers cooking amounts, not a concentrated daily extract.
No trial has studied pregnant or breastfeeding women; avoid unless a clinician advises otherwise.

Important Drug interactions

No drug interaction studies have been published for AfperFIT or other grains of paradise extracts.
Diabetes and blood pressure medicines: the AfperFIT trial excluded people with diabetes or high blood pressure, so effects alongside these medicines are unknown; talk with your doctor first.
Other thermogenic or weight-management products: combinations with AfperFIT have not been studied.

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Frequently asked questions about AfperFIT™ (Grains of Paradise Extract — Vidya Herbs)

What is AfperFIT?

AfperFIT is a grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) seed extract from Vidya Herbs standardized to 6-paradol. A 12-week trial of AfperFIT itself, in 70 overweight adults, reported higher energy expenditure and less visceral fat than placebo. Two of its four authors work for Vidya Herbs, and no independent group has repeated it.

Does AfperFIT help with weight loss?

In its one trial, average weight loss over 12 weeks was 4.1 kg against 0.8 kg on placebo, but the typical (median) person lost 1.6 kg against 0.4 kg, because a few people lost a lot. Total fat mass and body-fat percentage did not differ from placebo, and lean mass fell. That is a small, single, maker-linked result.

Is it a stimulant?

AfperFIT is a grains of paradise seed extract rather than a caffeine-based product. Its proposed route is brown fat activation, which comes from lab, animal and small human studies of other extracts; the AfperFIT trial did not measure brown fat. No serious adverse events were recorded in that trial.

What is AfperFIT used for?

AfperFIT is researched primarily for Weight Management. In the 70-person AfperFIT trial, energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry rose by an average of about 209 kcal a day over 12 weeks, against almost no change on placebo (p<0.01).

What is the recommended dosage of AfperFIT?

The clinically studied dose is Published AfperFIT trial: 250 mg twice daily (500 mg a day, providing 10 mg of 6-paradol) for 12 weeks. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is AfperFIT safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for AfperFIT include: The AfperFIT trial reported no serious adverse events over 12 weeks, and liver and kidney tests stayed in the normal range; it is the only safety data for this extract. It may also interact with some medications. AfperFIT is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does AfperFIT interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: No drug interaction studies have been published for AfperFIT or other grains of paradise extracts. Diabetes and blood pressure medicines: the AfperFIT trial excluded people with diabetes or high blood pressure, so effects alongside these medicines are unknown; talk with your doct… If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for AfperFIT?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for AfperFIT as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 9 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(9 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Sudeep HV, Aman K, Jestin TV, Shyamprasad K. Aframomum melegueta Seed Extract with Standardized Content of 6-Paradol Reduces Visceral Fat and Enhances Energy Expenditure in Overweight Adults - A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study. Drug Des Devel Ther. 2022;16:3777-3791. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S367350.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 70 overweight adults (BMI 25 to 30, aged 20 to 50) of the branded extract AfperFit (not less than 2 percent 6-paradol; each 250 mg capsule held 5 mg), 250 mg twice daily for 12 weeks. Versus placebo, energy expenditure rose (about 209 kcal a day against almost no change), visceral-fat area fell (p<0.001) and weight fell more (mean 4.07 against 0.81 kg, p=0.009; medians 1.6 against 0.4 kg, largest single loss 21.1 kg). DXA fat mass and body-fat percentage did not differ from placebo (p=0.13 and 0.42), and lean mass fell with the extract while it rose on placebo (p=0.002). 10 of 70 were lost to follow-up and handled by last observation carried forward. Safety labs stayed normal and no serious adverse events were recorded. Two of the four authors, including the corresponding author, are employed by Vidya Herbs; the paper has no funding statement. Not independently replicated.
  2. Yoneshiro T, Matsushita M, Sugita J, Aita S, Kameya T, Sugie H, Saito M. Prolonged Treatment with Grains of Paradise (Aframomum melegueta) Extract Recruits Adaptive Thermogenesis and Reduces Body Fat in Humans with Low Brown Fat Activity. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2021;67(2):99-104. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.67.99.PubMedUsed to support: Single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover in 9 healthy young men selected by FDG-PET/CT for low brown-fat activity, taking 40 mg a day for 5 weeks of an extract that the full text says contained 5 mg of 6-paradol per 40 mg (12.5 percent). Cold-induced thermogenesis rose significantly versus placebo while resting energy expenditure did not; body weight and fat-free mass were unchanged, and body-fat percentage fell slightly but significantly with the extract only. A very small brown-fat surrogate study, partly funded by a Japanese government grant.
  3. Sugita J, Yoneshiro T, Hatano T, Aita S, Ikemoto T, Uchiwa H, Iwanaga T, Kameya T, Kawai Y, Saito M. Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) extract activates brown adipose tissue and increases whole-body energy expenditure in men. Br J Nutr. 2013;110(4):733-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512005715.PubMedUsed to support: Single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover in 19 healthy men aged 20 to 32, classified by FDG-PET as brown-fat-positive (12) or negative (7). The ethanol seed extract contained 12.5 percent 6-paradol, 15.2 percent 6-gingerol and 1.7 percent 6-shogaol by HPLC (full text). A single 40 mg dose raised whole-body energy expenditure within 2 hours significantly more in the brown-fat-positive men than the negative ones (P<0.01), while placebo did not change it. An acute metabolic reading in a small group, with no body-weight outcome. Partly funded by a Japanese government grant; Kanebo Cosmetics, where some authors worked, is stated to have had no influence on the study.
  4. Sugita J, Yoneshiro T, Sugishima Y, Ikemoto T, Uchiwa H, Suzuki I, Saito M. Daily ingestion of grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) extract increases whole-body energy expenditure and decreases visceral fat in humans. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2014;60(1):22-7. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.60.22.PubMedUsed to support: Single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover in 19 non-obese women aged 20 to 22 taking 30 mg a day for 4 weeks of an extract containing 12.5 percent 6-paradol (full text). Visceral-fat area at the umbilicus fell with the extract and rose slightly on placebo (p<0.05), and the change was inversely related to baseline visceral fat (r=-0.64, p<0.01). Body weight, BMI, body-fat content, subcutaneous fat and total fat did not differ from placebo. Whole-body energy expenditure rose from baseline with the extract (p<0.05) but not with placebo. Surrogate outcomes, not weight loss.
  5. Allen LE, Sutton PJ, Schrautemeier A, Holley K, Gaige CJ, Krieger JM, Hagele AM, Gutierrez KA, Mumford PW, Kerksick CM. Effects of L-BAIBA supplementation with and without grains of paradise on changes in resting metabolic rate, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors. Nutr J. 2026;25(1):92. doi: 10.1186/s12937-026-01349-z.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in overweight and obese adults on a calorie-reduced diet and exercise program for 56 days: placebo, 500 mg L-BAIBA, or 500 mg L-BAIBA plus 40 mg of the CaloriBurn grains of paradise extract (37 completers). Every group lost body weight and waist size, but there was no group difference from placebo in body mass, resting metabolic rate, DXA fat mass, fat-free mass or percent fat, waist, heart rate, blood pressure, glucose or blood lipids. Hunger ratings were lower than placebo with the combination at day 28 only, and adjusting for baseline hunger weakened the group difference. No adverse events were reported. Funded by NNB Nutrition, the maker of CaloriBurn, through an unrestricted grant; the senior author is a paid advisor to NNB. No grains of paradise only group was tested. It did not test AfperFIT and is cited on this page only as context for grains of paradise extracts.
  6. Hattori H, Yamauchi K, Onwona-Agyeman S, Mitsunaga T. Identification of vanilloid compounds in grains of paradise and their effects on sympathetic nerve activity. J Sci Food Agric. 2018;98(12):4742-4748. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.9009.PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory and rat study: ten vanilloid compounds were isolated from grains of paradise, with 6-gingerol, 6-paradol and 6-shogaol as the major constituents. Given orally to rats, the extract and 6-gingerol lowered sympathetic nerve activity to brown adipose tissue, the opposite of capsaicin, and the authors concluded grains of paradise works through a mechanism different from capsaicin. Animal work on mechanism, not a human outcome.
  7. Saito M, Matsushita M, Yoneshiro T, Okamatsu-Ogura Y. Brown Adipose Tissue, Diet-Induced Thermogenesis, and Thermogenic Food Ingredients: From Mice to Men. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:222. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00222.PubMedUsed to support: Review of brown adipose tissue and thermogenic food ingredients: describes how cold exposure activates brown fat through TRP channels and the sympathetic nervous system, how brown fat activity is inversely related to body fatness, and how TRPV1 agonists such as capsaicin and capsinoids mimic cold exposure. Cited as background for the TRP channel and brown-fat pathway, not as human evidence for grains of paradise itself.
  8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Substances generally recognized as safe: Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings (21 CFR 182.10). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Code of Federal Regulations. 2024;21 CFR 182.10.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed. The US FDA lists grains of paradise (botanical name Amomum melegueta Rosc., a synonym of Aframomum melegueta) among spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings generally recognized as safe. This covers the whole spice used in cooking amounts, not a concentrated daily extract.
  9. Vidya Herbs. AfperFIT (ingredient product page). Vidya Herbs website. 2026;Accessed October 2026.SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; the maker's own product page, accessed 2026. It states that AfperFIT is a grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) seed extract produced by Vidya Herbs and that the dried seeds undergo supercritical CO2 extraction. Its marketing claims are not repeated on this page.