The invention concerns a method for producing optically active hydroxy-, alkoxy-, amino-, alkyl-, aryl- or chlorine-substituted alcohols or hydroxycarboxylic acids having 3 to 25 carbon atoms or their acid derivatives or cyclization products by hydrogenating the correspondingly substituted optically active monocarboxylic acids or dicarboxylic acids or their acid derivatives in the presence of a catalyst whose active constituent contains a noble metal selected from the group of metals consisting of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ag, Au and at least one additional element selected from the group of elements consisting of Sn, Ge, Mo, W, Ti, Zr, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, In, Pb, Bi, Cr, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu.