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l-Theanine (l-THE) is a nonproteinogenic amino acid derived from green tea (Camellia sinensis), which exhibits strong antioxidant-like properties and contributes to the favourable umami taste sensation. Several studies have reported that the consumption of this amino acid has many therapeutic effects, including improvements in brain and gastrointestinal function, cancer drug therapeutic efficacies, antihypertensive effects, and improved immune function. Considering the recent Western commercialisation and popularity of green tea consumption as a nootropic agent in humans, the aims of this review were to consolidate the existing knowledge from ex vivo and in vitro animal models and attempt to highlight the applicability of l-THE towards the human clinical trials. Considering the anti-inflammatory and antioxidants effects of l-THE presented in the current review, further research must translate the existing knowledge gained from animal and cell models to exploring the potential metabolic health benefits and moderating effects on the pathogenesis of conditions such as obesity, arthritis, depression, and type 2 diabetes in human trials. This will bridge the gap in literature and provide more insights into the mechanisms driving pathologies characterised by the inflammatory response and oxidative stress.

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly known as ‘Obamacare’), the national uninsured rate has fallen from 17.3 per cent in 2013 to 11.7 per cent in the first half of 2015. While this is a substantial drop, even accounting for the states that did not expand Medicaid, the remaining double-digit national rate, as well as higher rates in some states, indicates that a significant minority of Americans are not buying insurance. Researchers have identified a segment of the population with weak or uncertain preferences for health insurance. This article explores how such individuals are unevenly distributed across states and whether cultural preferences relating to time preference and risk aversion underlie the geographic distribution of the ‘persistently uninsured’. It concludes by reviewing the policy implications presented by the presence of numerous health insurance sceptics in certain jurisdictions.