What dosage?
There is no "one size fits all" dosage. If the label on a glucosamine supplement has just one recommended dosage listed on it, it would likely be the dosage for a person of average weight with no or just mild joint problems. If you weigh more, you need to take more. If you have more serious joint issues, again, you need to take more in order to fix the problem. Also, how much you abuse your joints affects what your recommended daily dosage should be. For example, a professional athlete is going to need more than someone who sits at a desk eight hours a day. The best advice is to find out from the company that made your glucosamine supplement. If they have a good Web site, it should have detailed information on recommended dosages.

When to take it?
Dosages should not be taken all at once. For the greatest effect, they should be split up into two or three doses.

How to take it?
Powder and capsules are the best, though the powdered form will often prove to be less expensive overall. We are unaware of any glucosamine product that's in tablet form, which would be far less effective since the tablet would have to be dissolved by the stomach's acids before being usable. Whatever you do, do NOT buy a liquid glucosamine supplement. Glucosamine HCl, the form of glucosamine found in most supplements, begins breaking down within 27 hours of being put in liquid. Within 4 days, these new "breakdown products" form completely different molecules that are 20 times larger than what was originally in the solution, making it much harder for your body to use. All of this often happens before the product leaves the manufacturer! By the time you buy it, most of the effectiveness is gone, and you've just thrown your money away. Powdered glucosamine can be added to cold liquids such as juice, tea, etc., but it must be consumed within 24 hours for it to remain fully effective.