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Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) vs Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg

Side-by-side comparison of scores, ingredients, prices and real customer feedback for Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) and Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg.

Last verified: 07 Apr 2026 · Based on 13 reviews

74.0
Quick Answer

Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) scores 74.0/100 vs Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg at 70.0/100. Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) wins on ingredient quality, side effects, certifications. Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg is stronger on effectiveness and value for money.

Which is better: Critical Mass Professional ... or Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg?

Applied Nutrition Critical Mass edges ahead overall (74 vs 70) thanks to Informed Sport certification — a meaningful advantage for tested athletes. Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass suits budget-conscious hard-gainers who prioritise taste and raw calorie delivery (1,250 kcal) and aren't subject to doping controls.

— AIScored Editorial Team

How Do the Scores Compare?

Critical Mass Professional ...
Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg
Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings)
Critical Mass Professional ...
Applied Nutrition
Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg
Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg
Optimum Nutrition
Overall Score 74.0 70.0
Effectiveness 73.0/100 80.0/100
Best
Ingredient Quality 76.0/100
Best
70.0/100
Value for Money 71.0/100 80.0/100
Best
Side Effects 77.0/100
Best
70.0/100
Certifications 83.0/100
Best
30.0/100
Best Price £52.95 Amazon UK →
Cheapest
£58.00 Holland & Barrett →
Form Powder powder
Dose None None
Third-Party Tested ✗ No ✗ No
Reviews Analysed 9 4

Critical Mass Professional Lean ...

Pros

  • 1,000+ calories per serving well-suited to hard gainers who struggle to hit caloric surplus
  • Informed Sport registered — meaningful third-party quality and contamination testing
  • Comprehensive formula beyond just protein: creatine monohydrate, HMB, glutamine, CLA, and MCT
  • Reduced-sugar formulation compared to older mass gainers — favourable for lean bulk

Cons

  • Taste inconsistency across batches — some report a chemical or medicinal aftertaste in the strawberry flavour
  • 150g per serving is a very high volume, potentially difficult for smaller individuals or those with lower appetite
  • Not vegan — whey-based formula unsuitable for plant-based users
  • 1,000+ kcal per serving requires careful use; excess can lead to unwanted fat gain if training volume is not sufficient

Best For

Hard gainers with high metabolic rates struggling to maintain caloric surplus Athletes in off-season or dedicated bulking phases Post-surgery or illness recovery requiring rapid caloric replenishment Halal diet followers seeking a certified mass gainer Intermediate lifters wanting an all-in-one mass-gain stack without separate creatine or HMB supplements
View full review →

Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg

Pros

  • Excellent user satisfaction (100% 5-star reviews) with consistent praise for taste and smoothness
  • Comprehensive calorie and protein delivery (1,250 kcal + 50g protein) for serious mass gain goals
  • Added creatine monohydrate (3g per serving) supports performance and strength gains
  • Broad micronutrient fortification including vitamins B-complex, C, E, and minerals for recovery

Cons

  • Very high sugar content (12g per serving) and simple carbohydrates (maltodextrin) may cause energy crashes
  • Not third-party tested; no NSF Certified for Sport or similar verification
  • Multiple allergens (milk, soy, wheat, eggs) limit accessibility; high sodium (1.48g per serving)
  • High saturated fat per serving (4g) may be a concern for some cardiovascular profiles

Best For

Hard-gainers and individuals with high metabolic rates Muscle-building athletes in bulking phases Those needing convenient, calorie-dense nutrition Users who prioritize taste and mixability
View full review →

What does the data say about Critical Mass Professi... vs Serious Mass Cookies &...?

Applied Nutrition's Critical Mass comes in at £52.95 (score 74.0) versus Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass at £58.00 (score 70.0), but the cheaper option doesn't necessarily mean better value. Critical Mass delivers 1,000+ calories per serving with added creatine, HMB, glutamine, CLA, and MCT oil — a formula that goes beyond basic protein. Serious Mass packs more calories (1,250 per serving) and delivers stronger effectiveness (80.0 vs 73.0), though it contains 12g sugar per serving and simpler carbohydrates like maltodextrin.

The practical difference matters most. Critical Mass's 150g serving size is huge — difficult if you're not already eating large meals. Serious Mass users consistently praise the taste and mixability.

Choose Critical Mass if you want ingredient depth and lower cost, particularly for hard gainers comfortable with larger servings. Pick Serious Mass for superior taste, higher calorie density, and stronger measured effectiveness — though you'll pay a bit more and deal with higher sugar content.

Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) Winner 74.0/100

Applied Nutrition Critical Mass Professional is a high-calorie lean mass gainer delivering 1,000+ calories and 42g of protein per 150g serving, built around ISO-XP 95% Whey Protein Isolate with added creatine monohydrate, HMB, glutamine, leucine, CLA, and MCT powder.

Effectiveness
Critical Mass Pr..
73.0/100
Serious Mass Coo..
80.0/100
Ingredient Quality
Critical Mass Pr..
76.0/100
Serious Mass Coo..
70.0/100
Value for Money
Critical Mass Pr..
71.0/100
Serious Mass Coo..
80.0/100
Side Effects
Critical Mass Pr..
77.0/100
Serious Mass Coo..
70.0/100
Certifications
Critical Mass Pr..
83.0/100
Serious Mass Coo..
30.0/100

What are the key differences?

Critical Mass Professio.. is best for: Hard gainers with high metabolic rates struggling to maintain caloric surplus, Athletes in off-season or dedicated bulking phases
Serious Mass Cookies & .. is best for: Hard-gainers and individuals with high metabolic rates, Muscle-building athletes in bulking phases

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) or Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg?
Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) scores 74.0/100 overall while Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg scores 70.0/100. Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) comes out ahead, scoring higher on effectiveness (73.0 vs 80.0). Critical Mass Professional Lea is best suited for Hard gainers with high metabolic rates struggling to maintain caloric surplus and Athletes in off-season or dedicated bulking phases. Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg is better for Hard-gainers and individuals with high metabolic rates and Muscle-building athletes in bulking phases.
Is Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) worth the price compared to Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg?
Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) costs £52.95 while Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg is £58.00. For value, Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) scores 71.0/100 vs Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg's 80.0/100. Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg delivers better value relative to its quality. Note that Critical Mass Profes comes as powder while Serious Mass Cookies is powder, which may affect your preference.
Which has fewer side effects?
Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings) scores 77.0/100 for side effects (higher means fewer reported issues) while Serious Mass Cookies & Cream 5.4kg scores 70.0/100. Reviewers report fewer side effects with Critical Mass Professional Lean Mass Gainer Strawberry 6kg (40 Servings). For certification and testing, Critical Mass Profes scores 83.0/100 vs Serious Mass Cookies's 30.0/100. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement.

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