BEYOND THE FEED

This week on Beyond the Feed, I was joined by exercise science major and Piedmont University men’s golfer Doug Gugel to discuss his decision to pursue a career in fitness, the impact of social media algorithms and his own creatine usage. Gugel found great benefits when using creatine on his health and fitness journey despite some adverse effects.

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in the health industry, but it has recently found its way on to social media platforms everywhere boasting its good and bad qualities. The supplement is proven to improve strength, muscle size, injury prevention and even cognition. However, many people have taken to social media to explain it’s negative qualities.

Despite its controversy, Gugel began using creatine his freshman year of college and reaped all the benefits.

“I started taking it, and life was good,” said Gugel. “I actually gained a decent amount of size and felt more energized.”

His story lines up perfectly with health and fitness influencers who push creatine on their viewers. This supplement does not seem to be like your typical “de-bloat greens” or “appetite curbing” gummies. Consumers are actually reaping the benefits of this product when taken properly.

Although creatine’s main marketing strategy is through the fitness and strength benefits, its brain and cognitive affects have been boasted about. Gugel agreed.

“I was actually doing better in school and paying for attention,” said Gugel. “It was extremely beneficial at first.”

Although Gugel ultimately decided to terminate his creatine usage due to convenience when traveling for athletics, he does not deny the benefits of the supplement.

Creatine supplementation has been heavily controversial on social media, with many women fearing gaining mass or retaining water weight. This notion that creatine itself is bad has been a hot topic. The supplement has been proven time and time again to be beneficial to physical and mental health, but the occasional “horror story” has caused a divide in creatine’s reputation. Creatine is more than just about “getting big.” The supplement’s controversy only pushes the idea that education and research on social media platforms are limited.

What hot take have you heard about creatine?