Whey and creatine are the two most studied supplements in history, and both of them have reams of studies that support their use. There is simply no question that they are a benefit. And no, whey will not give you a heart attack. Now, you don't need whey to get big, but it is a supplement for those that are unable to eat enough protein through other means.

You were starting to touch on a really important point, and what ultimately is good advice: don't workout to get big, train to reach a goal. Take up a sport, and then workout to get better at that sport. This will give you the motivation to keep pushing yourself and helps stave off the inevitable boredom that doing the same thing day after day will bring.