The effect of age and of prolonged caloric restriction on glucose tolerance and insulin responsiveness has been studied in male Fischer 344 rats. Beginning at 1 month of age dietary intake of an experimental group (R) was limited to 60% of that of the control group (AL) which was allowed to eat ad libitum. Studies were carried out at intervals up to 24 months of age. In AL rats the oral glucose tolerance curve showed progressively higher peak levels of plasma glucose with age, and a decrease in the plasma insulin concentration at the time of the glucose peak. The R group did not show the increase in peak value with age and the corresponding insulin concentration was lower than that of the AL group. These results are compatible with a delay in the first phase of insulin secretion in aging AL rats. Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was assessed by the method of Reaven et al. [Diabetes, 32 (1983) 175], at ages 4, 12, 18 and 24 months; using infusions of 2 mU of insulin and 1 mg of glucose/min per kg, the steady-state plasma glucose level (SSPG) was slightly lower in R than in AL rats, while the steady-state plasma insulin level was reduced by 40-60%. In rats aged 18-24 months the hepatic glucose output, measured with [3-3H]glucose, was the same for AL and R rats in the basal state and was reduced to the same extent by insulin. In the presence of epinephrine and propranolol, infusion of glucose and insulin at various rates demonstrated that the plasma glucose clearance rate increased linearly with increasing SSPI, and at comparable SSPI levels was lower in R than in AL rats. The ability of insulin to stimulate glycogenesis from glucose was measured in primary hepatocyte cultures. Insulin increased glycogenesis 3-fold in cells from AL rats and 4-6-fold in cells from R rats. There was no effect of age. The increased insulin responsiveness of R rats was not due to an increase in insulin binding or to a decrease in insulin degradation (measured with intact cells or as cytosolic insulinase activity).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)