Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated enhanced active and passive intestinal uptake of nutrients in streptozotocin-diabetic rats, but the effect of diabetes on the in vivo absorption of glucose and amino acids remains controversial, and the effect of diabetes on the in vivo uptake of lipids has not been reported. Accordingly, an in vivo perfusion technique was used in rats to examine the uptake of nutrients from the intestinal lumen, their transfer to the body, their mucosal and submucosal content, and the percentage of uptake transferred. Diabetes was associated with reduced uptake of fatty alcohols, indicating that the effective resistance of the unstirred water layer in vivo is higher in diabetic than in nondiabetic control rats. The mucosal and submucosal content of dodecanol was lower in diabetic than in control rats, but the percentage of the dodecanol uptake transferred to the body was higher. Although the uptake of varying concentrations of D-galactose was similar in diabetic and in control animals, kinetic analysis corrected for unstirred layer effects demonstrated lower mean values of the passive permeability coefficients (Pd) for galactose in diabetic than in control animals, with lower values of the Michaelis constant (Km) and higher values of the maximal transport rate [Formula: see text]. The uptake of lauric acid was reduced in diabetic rats, whereas the uptake of deconoic acid and of cholesterol was unchanged. With correction for unstirred layer effects, it was apparent that the jejunum of diabetic rats was in fact more permeable to decanoic and lauric acid as well as to cholesterol. The results suggest that (i) in diabetic rats the effective resistance of the unstirred water layer between the jejunal lumen and the brush border membrane is lower; (ii) the differences in unstirred layer resistance between the diabetic and control animals obscure the changes in the kinetic constants (Pd, Km, [Formula: see text]) describing the uptake of galactose, medium chain length fatty acids and cholesterol; and (iii) the kinetic changes in nutrient uptake observed in vitro may be confirmed in vivo once the effect of intestinal unstirred layers has been taken into account.