Should I drink softened water

No.

Conflicts? Buying bottle water at a store is just softened with an RO systems.

My pets drink soft water, none have died from it.

YMMV

If in good health and not requiring a low sodium diet, softened water should be OK.

If you have no problems with the extra salt you get drink it, I stay away from salt.

If your s/w is setup right there is less salt in your water than there is in milk but if you're on a sodium restricted diet you should avoid it anyway.

I don't drink s/w because of the taste. I run the s/w though a ro filter.

Jim

Ditto here. We have a dispenser on the kitchen sink that comes from an RO unit. But in the bathroom, sometimes I need to take meds, so will use that tap water. Definitely a difference, but for half a cup, no biggie. I would not drink softened water in any quantities, or use it for anything important, like beer making.

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

wrote

So you came to this group to resolve the conflicts. Thank you for the confidence you have on the folks here to get the right answers!