I'm learning as I type this, but I can say the etiology of disc degeneration is fairly complex, as discussed here:
Hadjipavlou, A. G., et al. "The pathophysiology of disc degeneration a critical review." Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, British Volume 90.10 (2008): 1261-1270.
It seems you'll want more: transforming growth factor β, basic fibroblast growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor, and less: tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1, and atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta and lumbar arteries. Physical therapy adjuncts would seem to include mild compression (walking?), but limiting vibration and torsion.
All of those hormones are pluripotent, and changing their levels markedly probably brings risk of other problems (ie, higher TGFβ is implicated in a number of diseases, including liver fibrosis, higher IGF-1 in cancer proliferation, TNF-α and IL-1 are important in immune response). Research labs can order non-FDA approved recombinant versions, but cost and expertise is probably prohibitive for most individuals..
There's transforming growth factor β in bovine milk (but its not clear if this is active in adults). Vitamin E reduces its levels in the liver, though no evidence that it would have similar effects in chondrocytes, while a number of popular supplements, like resveratrol and the drug metformin interfere with IGF-1 signalling. In other words, there's a good chance some of your current supplements may be reducing the important growth factors for disc synthesis by chondrocytes. I'd certainly do a google scholar search on everything your currently taking with reference to the growth hormones and eliminate supplements that may be interfering with disc regeneration.
High animal protein paleo diets will increase IGF-1 levels, but if they include lots of the pro-inflammatory compounds found especially in red meat likely increase TNF-α, IL-1 and would do little for existing atherosclerosis. Omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water wild fish, flax and some nuts reduce TNF-α and IL-1, but mainly in the context of a low omega-6 diet. A pescetarian diet eliminating all fried foods, snack foods, and cooking/salad oils (save perhaps canola, flax, hemp) may support IGF-1 levels, while reducing inflammatory signalling and offering some vascular benefits.
There are many, many compounds which interfere with TNF-α and IL-1 inflammatory signalling. This paper offers a review of the hundreds known NF-kB inhibitors which can do the trick in vitro. Many of them, however, may also inhibit desirable TGF β, BFGF, and IGF-1, so caution and literature searches are neccessary.
Edit: I'd hoped that this paper might be of considerable interest, but it largely just reiterated mechanisms from the first and listed potential recombinant protein and gene therapy approaches: ie mainstream medicine offered few practical molecular interventions, at least as of 2009:
Ireland, Daniel. "Molecular mechanisms involved in intervertebral disc degeneration and potential new treatment strategies." Bioscience Horizons 2.1 (2009): 83-89.
This last link is dead.
