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The aim of the study was to use glucose, fructose and xylitol as alternative carbohydrates in hypocaloric parenteral nutrition (HPN) and to investigate their different nutritional effects. Twenty-four patients who had undergone elective gastrointestinal resection were examined in a prospective randomized study. Only metabolically normal patients between 30 and 65 years of age were admitted to the study. No patient with a body weight more than 20% above or below the normal weight of the patients was admitted. The study period extended from the operation day to the fifth postoperative day. The patients were given approximately 1.1 g amino acids and approximately 2.9 g carbohydrates per kg/B.W. and day using either glucose, fructose or xylitol as carbohydrates. The mean plasma glucose concentrations ranged between 6 and 8 mmol/l without insulin being supplied. There were no significant differences between the groups. However, the administration of glucose led to a somewhat larger dispersion range of the values. The labile plasma proteins (transferrin, prealbumin, retinol-binding protein) in the 3 groups revealed almost identical concentration courses. With N-losses between 51 and 57 g/4 days, only slightly negative cumulative N-balances were calculated (-4 to -13 g/4 days). No significant differences were observed between the 3 groups in the level of the urea-N production rates. Advantages which favor a general administration of fructose/sorbitol or xylitol in HPN could not be found in our investigation.