Inadequate phosphorus intake causes abnormally low serum phosphate levels – known as hypophosphatemia (phosphate deficiency). This leads to loss of appetite, anemia, muscle weakness, bone pain, rickets in children, bone loss in adults, weak immune system with frequent infections, numbness and tingling in the extremities, and difficulty walking. Severe hypophosphatemia (phosphate deficiency) can lead to death if left untreated. Because phosphorus is abundant in the diet, phosphorus deficiency has usually occurred only in cases of near starvation. Furthermore, alcoholics, diabetics just recovering from diabetic ketoacidosis, anorectic patients artificially fed with many calories but too little phosphorus are at high risk for phosphate deficiency.